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OSCAR R. CLEASOMS 

NEW 

PRACTICAL TREATISE 

ON THE 




BREAKING AND TAMING 



OF 



MILD m VICIOUS HORSES 






S' 



G5 



COPYRIGHT LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, 



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Every applicant for a copyright must state distinctly the name and resi- 
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"Entered according to act of Congress, in the year , by , in 



11 COPYRIGHT LAW. 

the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington," or, at the option 
of the person entering the copyright, the words " Copyright, 18 — , by " 

The law imposes a penalty, $100.00, upon any person who has not ob- 
tained a copyright who shall insert the notice " Entered according to act 
of Congress," or " Copyright," or words of the same import, in or upon 
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The fee for this record and certificate is one dollar. 

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work. In this case notice should be given by printing the words " Right 
of Translation reserved," or "All rights reserved," below the notice of 
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Copyrights cannot be granted upon trade-marks, nor upon labels in- 
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prints or labels is desired, application must be made to the Patent Office, 
where they are registered at a fee of $6.00 for labels-, and $25.00 for 
trade-marks. 



THE GLEASON bridle bit, 

Patented February 21st, 1888, 



Prof. OSCAR R. GLEASON, 

King op House TaSvUeirs, 

Copyrighted April 1st, 1887. 
BT2 - ^K-C^. O. £&. Cri-IE-A-SCN. 



GLEASON'S EUREKA AND BONAPARTE BRIDLES, 

Copyrighted June 8th, 1885. 
B"E~ PEOP O. IS. GLEASON. 



THE GLEASON BRIDLE, 

Patent applied for. 



THE GLEASON NEW BREAK HARNESS. 

Patent applied for. 



OSCAR R. GLEASON'S 



«§3* Practical Treatise -4^ 



— ON THE — 

Breaking * Taming of Wild # Vicious 

^ HORSES gfr 



— WITH — 



1 



r 



f- 



0/£7? 7"W0 HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS. 



EMBRACING: 

I. — y2 Short and Concise History of the Life, Struggles and Trials of 
the Author in Compiling this Work. 

2. — The Breaking and Taming of Wild and Vicious Horses by Ques- 
tions Asked and Answered. 

j. — How to Detect an Unsound Horse. 

4. — Method of Telling a Horse's Age from One to Twenty-one Years. 

5. — Horseback Riding. 

6. — The Breeding and Care of the Foal. 

7. — The Government Farm. 

8. — Practical Suggestions on Horse- Shoeing. 

9. — Veterinary Department for Horses. 

jo. — Veterinary Department for Dogs. 




BALTIMORE. 
1889. 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1889, January 19th, by 

OSCAB IE2,. GLEASOIT, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



JOHN COX'S SONS, 
PRINTERS, 
BALTIMORE, MD. 




Norton B. Smith, of New Brunswick, Canada. 



Mr. Smith has been for the past two years under the instructions of Prof. Gleason, 
anrl has become very proficient in the training of wild and vicious horses, 



INTRODUCTION 



It is necessary for any man wishing to handle horses successfully 
to be self-possessed, determined, and to give some attention to the 
horse's natural habits and disposition. I do not think it is claiming 
too much for my system to say, by its use, any horse may be broke 
regardless of his being previously spoiled,) so as to make him per- 
fectly docile and even safe for a family horse. 

In dealing with my plan, you are not wasting your time with a 
mysterious trick, with which so many are humbugged by unprin- 
cipled men who have nothing good at heart for either horse or man, 
but merely want ill-gained dollars. In my book you will find the 
principles of a universally applicable system for the better training 
of horses for man's use, producing such matchless docility as has not 
before been found. The three fundamental principles of my theory 
are : First, control — teaching submission and docility. ( This 
being the first lesson for the horse, is of the greatest importance, and 
is the same to his after education that the alphabet is to the boy's, 
and should be learned perfectly for ease and success in after lesson.) 
Secondly, let kindness run through all your actions toward the 
horse. Thirdly, appeal properly to the horse's understanding, pru- 
dently associating mastery with kindness; rebuke wrong and reward 
right. 

Although the horse possesses some faculties superior to man, yet 
he is deficient in reasoning power ; he is naturally of a kind dispo- 
sition, as evidenced by his attachment to his kind keeper. He has 
no thought of disobedience, except by the pernicious imprudence of 
violating the laws of his nature, in which case he is not in fault, but 

5 



— 6 — 

the violator. You will hereinafter learn that he may be taught to 
perfectly submit to anything, however odious it may have been to 
him at first. 

As the value of the horse is daily becoming more manifest, it is 
presumed that any attempt to reduce into a system the art of 
preserving him in health and of removing disease will not be unac- 
ceptable. 

It is certain that at no period in the history of this country has 
the horse stood so high in general estimation, or by the display 
of his various powers rendered himself an object more worthy of our 
consideration. As greater attention is now paid to the breeding of 
horses, for the different purposes of the turf, the road, etc., so should 
our anxiety for their education increase. 

The object of this publication is to render as plain and familiar as 
possible a subject that has for a length of time remained in obscurity. 
The want of a work possessing practical facts and illustrations has 
long been severely felt and acknowledged. 

Under this conviction I am induced to lend my aid in bringing 
forth the present volume, with such alterations and additions as an 
extensive experience in this country has taught me. 

To remove long-standing prejudices, I am aware, is a difficult task, 
still I venture to hope that a careful perusal of these pages will ex- 
cite, in some degree, the feelings of humanity in respect to the many 
sufferings to which the generous animal is frequently liable from 
unmerited cruelty and injudicious treatment, and that mankind, may 
he induced to view his sufferings with an eye of sympathy and 
tenderness, and have recourse to a rational mode of practice when 
accident or disease may require it. 

I am not aware that any publication has been issued from the 
press of any country in which the science of horsemanship has been 
laid down in such a manner as to be clearly understood. The present 
work is so familiar in its composition as to render it at once inter- 



-7- 

esting and intelligible to every one who may think proper to peruse 
its contents. 

I claim the honor of being the only horse-trainer or teacher of 
horsemanship who ever advanced the idea of introducing their 
methods to the United States Government, and if used according to 
my instructions, and as I lay down in my book, will be of great 
benefit to the Government. 

This is a day of progression. Men are respected in proportion to 
their education, intelligence and usefulness; governmants are re- 
spected for the soundness of their constitutions and intelligence of 
their laws and enforcement of the same, and the size and efficiency 
of their armies. The soldier who receives a careful training and 
useful education in the military science, and conducts himself prop- 
erly, is respected, trusted and promoted. I contend that the soldier's 
education has not been completed until he has a thorough knowledge 
of the great art of horse-training and educating his horse, for he 
should be to him a daily companion. By a thorough knowledge of 
this great art, to which I allude, he is capable of judging the most 
intelligent, hardy and useful horse for his department of the service. 
The more useful the animal to his master, the more companionable 
and highly appreciated. The better the horse, the better the master. 
It is for this purpose that I have written this book, from an experience 
of over fifteen years in the study of the training and education of the 
horse, and if these instructions are put to practical use, they will im- 
prove the military service in all departments in which horses are used. 

My one aim and object is to get my methods of training and 
educating the noble and intelligent horse before the people of this 
country, for I feel by so doing a noble and lasting good will be done 
the poor, unappreciated dumb brute ; and though they can never 
know the good I shall have done them, their masters will be able to 
appreciate, if they see, learn and know of my method. 

Permit me to state briefly that I have traveled all over this United 



— 8 — 

States, which has required fifteen years of the best part of-iny life. 
I have given public exhibitions in all of the principal cities and 
towns. I have handled over seventeen thousand of the most vicious 
kickers, balkers, strikers, plungers, biters, bolters, shyers, and horses 
possessing all other vicious habits known, but I have yet to find the 
horse I could not by my methods conquer, subdue and make docile 
in a short time. And in all of the time T have mentioned I have not 
injured one horse, nor is it necessary for me to be cruel, owing to the 
simplicity and perfection of my methods. 

It is with a feeling of pride — for I have earned my success by 
honesty of purpose, straightforward action, hard labor and close 
study — that I refer with a feeling of pleasure to crowded houses 
wherever I have shown, and audiences made up of the very best class 
of citizens, which is the best evidence that my labors have been ap- 
preciated and my methods a success. 

All of the engravings in this work are original ideas of mine, and 
are fully protected and covered by copyrights and patents. 

I forbid any person publishing or causing to be published the 
manuscript of this book, or cause to be made or engraved one of the 
cuts therein. 

In giving out this work I have tried to make it as simple and as 
plain as possible, as I do not approve of a great large book filled up 
with a lot of trash. All the scientific points of horsemanship are 
laid down here in common-sense talk. They can be readily under- 
stood by a boy of twelve. It has cost a large sum of money to en- 
grave the different cuts and to make them plain, so they 
can be quickly understood by the reader. In the front part of the 
book is given a short history of my life and travels, and adventures 
with vicious horses. 

Following this is the manner of training and educating a horse by 
questions asked and questions answered, which is entirely original 
with me. Following this is my views of what denotes an unsound 



— 9 — 

horse. Following this is my methods of telling the age of a horse 
accurately. 

Following this is the Horseshoeing Department, in which I have 
not gone into all its details, but have simply called the reader to a 
few (if the main facts which are so apparent to all horsemen, and, 
besides, to dwell on this subject and give it a general sifting, it would 
occupy too much space in this work, and to the crowding out of other 
important matter. 

Following this is the Veterinary Department, which contains hints 
and suggestions from a regular graduate of veterinary college, and 
who has had a practice of thirty years, and any one using the recipes 
or remedies herein named, can do so with perfect safety, for in my 
practice I have used them all, and certainly attest as to their efficacy. 
Still I would advise any person having a sick horse to immediately 
call upon a veterinary surgeon, and never rely upon too many persons 
giving you advice upon the disease of the horse. We cannot pay too 
high a tribute the good work our veterinary colleges are doing for 
us, and be assured that it is always safe to employ a graduate there- 
from. In cases where it becomes necessary to perform a surgical 
operation, I would always suggest that a thorough and practical veter- 
inarian be called quickly, as in case of doubt, always take the safe side. 
There can be no rules or proper suggestions laid down in any book 
touching such cases, hence T refrain from mentioning them, or at 
least in making the attempt. Hoping and fully believing that all 
persons who may chance to peruse this work, if they fully carry out 
the instructions laid down here for their benefit, and which has cost 
me a lifetime of mental and physical labor to acquire, not mentioning 
the thousmds of dollars squandered in its accumulation, that both 
horse and man will be benefited thereby, 

Respectfully, your obedient servant. 

OSCAR R. GLEASON. 



A CONCISE HISTORY OF MY LIFE, 

Consisting of some of the many scenes I have passed through in my Journeying* 
over the United States, as an educator and trainer of wild and vicious 
Iwrses. As I have many a time been interviewed by the public as 
to the place of my nativity, I deem it but fair that I 
give to my readers a short history of my life, to- 
getlier with the ups and downs, its ad- 
versities and prosperties. 



I was born in Petersham, Wooster county, Mass., July 14th, 1856. 
My father was Charles F. Gleason, Jr., and was during his life 
recognised as a very successful horseman and stockman. Cf course, I 
was at an early age pressed into the service of assistant to him, not 
in the slightest degree against my will, for I fully believe I inherited 
from my father, in no small way, his strong passion and indomitable 
will in handling and controling that noble animal, so badly abused, 
yet so highly estimated by man. My father was a native of Rhode 
Island, was fully 6 feet in height, weighing 200 pounds, with light 
complextion, blue eyes, sandy beard, and a man of immense muscu- 
lar development, and possessed great strength, and was noted and 
famous through all the Eastern States for his willingness to buy all 
runaway and otherwise unsafe animals, but which in his hands be- 
came models of safe family horses. For many years he was engaged 
in the Palm Leaf business, having splitting factories and bleacheries 
in Dana, Hardwick, Greenwich, Barre, Athol, Petersham and Orange. 
The leaf was to be found in almost every house in Massachusetts, 
New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, where it was braided into 
hats for him. This required a large amount of riding and teaming. 
My father always had from seven to twelve of the best horses that 
money could buy. He had on the road all the time, not less than 50 
peddling wagons, with which the leaf was distributed and the hats 

li 



— 12 



collected. When my father heard of a runaway or vicious animal, 
he would go miles to buy it, claiming that only the best horses 
were vicious. He declared that the best way to cure a runaway 
horse, was to give him the end of the road. I never knew him to 
have a sick or lame horse in my life ; although he gave his animals 
hard drives, he always took the best of care of them. He never 
drove less than 10 miles an hour on the road. 

The maiden name of my sainted mother was Ellen F. Drury, a 
native of Salem, Mass. She was one of those earnest, determined 




The first Horse and Dog I could ever call my own. 



and devoted mothers, whose character and early teachings of life 
have done so much in shaping and developing the minds of the 
best class of the brain, bone and sinew portion of the people of New 
England. Allow me here to say, that I believe no class of people in 
our country ever accomplished more by hard, unremitting labor than 



13 



wives and mothers of our old New England farmers. My mother's 
life was no exception to this rule. With her large hazel eyes, light 
curly hair and loving heart, she was the joy of my boyhood's happy 
home, and her departure to a better land in 1871, made a void in my 
home never to be filled. 

In 1868 my parents moved west, settling in Dakota, Humbolt 
county, Iowa, about 90 miles above Fort Dodge, on the west branch 
of the Des Moines river, where my father went extensively into the 
live stock business, handling thousands of head of cattle and carry- 
ing on the butchering business also. At this time my father pre- 
sented me with a beautiful cow pony. I then thought my happiness 
complete, there seemed to be no enjoyment except with my faithful 
pony. When I was driving cattle all [had to do was to let my pony 
know what particular animal was wanted, and after it he would go 
and separate it from the others without having to be directed by the 




^s- 



Su i mm in- tlie I>es Moines River daring the great flood. 



reins. Once when Ave were driving a large number of wild steers, 
and we had to cross a bridge on the Des Moines river, one of the 
steers bolted out of the road and down the bank, plunging into the 
river. After him with a word from me went my pony and into the 



_ 14 — 

river also. "Look out for quicksands," shouted my father. I was 
then in deep water, my pony swimming close up to the steer and 
biting at him to hurry him through. We safely emerged on the 
other side, though somewhat moistened. The time that I accom- 
plished this feat of swimming my pony across the west branch of 
the Des Moines, was at the time of the great flood in 1869, I then 
being 13 years of age. On our arriving safely in the village of 
Springvale we had discovered that "the dam just above the town had 
given away, and there was great danger of all the citizens being 
drowned. At once my father gave the order for every one to turn 
out with their teams and stop the water by filling up the large breach 
with boulders and rock. His example infused new life into the dazed 
citizens, who seeing they had a live Yankee for a leader, took hold 
with a will, so that there were at work at this critical lime not less 
than 500 men with as many animals. Bidding defiance to the rag- 
ing flood, they succeeded, by almost superhuman efforts, in counter- 
acting the threatened destruction. 

We remained West until 1871. After my mother's death, my father, 
brother and myself returned East and moved to Vermont. Here my 
father gave me a rare opportunity to develop my leading passion, 
which became more and more marked as I n eared the age of 15, 
satisfied from my experience with the horse that he possessed more 
intelligence than was generally credited to him, and feeling the 
necessity of doing something to legitimately bring my science into 
notice. At that time traveling through the State of Vermont was 
the well known horse trainer, the late Prof. C. H. Williams ; my 
father becoming a member of his class, and as it was the rule with 
Prof. Williams at that time, that any member of the family could 
attend free, I took advantage of his terms, and foreseeing what great 
results must ensue from an intelligent presentation of the art of 
educating the horse, I determined to make it a life study,. and I had 
the pleasure of putting into effect the long cherished idea, which 
was to so train a horse as not only to make him gentle for family use, 
but to educate the people in the different methods used in training 
and handling the noble brute, the horse. While witnessing one of 
Prof. Williams' exhibitions in Western Vermont, in subduing and 
bringing under perfect control a wild and vicious colt, I was struck 
with wonder and amazement to see what power man did possess over 



— 15 — 

the dumb brute. I thereupon said to Prof. Williams that every man 
who had to do with horses should be taught the same art, and he 
says : " My boy, I am glad to have in you such an interested spectator, 
and if everybody could so readily see the utility of the methods I use, 
certainly my labor will notfbe in vain." As if was an established rule 
of Prof. Williams that when a man became a member of his class,, 
he was constituted a life member, consequently I attended his ex- 
hibitions whenever and wherever I could hear of him, and I went 
to Jamaica, West Townsend and W^adsboro City, thereby getting 
the benefit of four exhibitions. At the last named place I remarked 
to Prof. Williams that I was going into the business. He laughed 
at me and said : " Young man, you will have a great deal to contend 
with in order to be successful."' 

And thus, with the kindly admonition 01 Prof. Williams, we again 
separated, and I contined my struggle to surmount all obstacles with 
hope against hope, and my only guide and counsellor was Prof. Wil- 
liams' book on the horse, which I always retained, and treasured as 
my reference, and which I can look back to as a great assistant to my 
success in mastering the vicious horse, and when next I met my old 
friend Williams, it was between Jacksonville, Vt., and Eeedsboro, 
Vt. I was indeed glad to meet my old friend again, and approached 
him under the garb of friendship ; and after the first salutations 
were passed, Prof. Williams, after ascertaining my business, and as to 
what my intentions were, (on telling him I was billed at Reedsboro, 
Vt., to give an exhibition), then he sought to intimidate me by say- 
ing his devices for handling horses was all patented, and that if I 
did not stop using them he would have to prosecute me — he saw in 
me a competitor. " Well,*' I says, " Professor, I am booked for Reeds- 
boro, and must fill the bill at whatever cost," and bade him adieu. 
On my arrival I found that Williams had been there before me and 
given an exhibition ; but notwithstanding that, I opened up on the 
day and hour, and charged 50 cents admission, while my audience, 
though small, were very appreciative, as the total receipts were only 
$4.50, which may seem to the reader as being small, it was a source 
of gratification to me, as it swelled the amount of cash in my hands 
that much — for on my arrival there I did not have even a penny, but 
made as much noise about the place as though I had plenty. Then 
I went home to my father's at West Townsend, and made prepara- 



— 16 — 

tions for my second tour. My father owned at this time a buckskin 
mare, four years old, which was a confirmed balker and kicker. I 
prevailed on him to let me take her and break her to drive without 
reins. At last he consented, and after my handling and by hard 
work, she was induced to become a pattern of docility. I was able 
to drive her without reins in one week from the time I commenced 
"training her. In August, 1876, 1 gave my second exhibition in 
Wadsboro, Vt,, and to my great astonishment, my receipts amounted 
to $22. After the exhibition I drove back to my father's house and 
told him what I done, but received very little encouragement from 
him. The next morning I left for a two weeks' trip, stopping at the 
little towns in Vermont, and met with what I then thought good 
success, arriving home with $15 in my ''inside pocket" after paying 
all expenses. Well, my father again renewed his discouraging lecture 
to me, saying there was no money in the business, and advised me to 
give it up and go to farming. At this time I was 20 years of age, 
and knowing full well I was not legally my own master, I asked my 
father what he would take for the year that remained between bond- 
age and freedom, and he replied, $150. I asked him if he would 
take my note, and he replied he would. Thus I went my way, after 
bidding the family farewell, and saying to them all I should never 
return until I had made a name for myself, and one worthy of emu- 
lation. My only companion being the buckskin mare, I gave free 
exhibitions with her by driving her without lines. Large numbers 
would turn out to see my free exhibitions of horsemanship. I then 
delivered a free lecture of what I could do, and could teach the horse 
owners, and formed a class, making the terms $3 apiece. I traveled 
in this manner, stopping at all the small towns in Massachusetts, 
arriving at Hazzardville, Conn., about December 1st, 1876. At this 
place I w r rote my father of my success, and invited him to come on 
and see our exhibition, which he accepted, arriving here on Christ- 
mas day. 

As I had spent some time in Hazzardville, I had ample time and 
opportunity to go about and make myself acquainted with the horse 
owners and stock men, and succeeded very well in getting them in- 
terested in my lectures, and as a consequence I had a large class of 
scholars. So the night of the exhibition I had a very large audi- 
ence for that time, my receipts being $212, which was a great induce- 



- 17 — 

ment for my father to join me in my scheme, and on my suggestion? 
he readily accepted of my proposition. It is due myself to here 
make mention that on my father's arrival I called on him to produce 
,the note T gave him purchasing my manhood, which to his surprise 
T promptly cashed. Well, at the aforesaid place we formed a com- 
pany, under the style of Prof. 0. R. Gleason & Co., my father being 




The Vicious Horse, ** Resolute," as Receiving* liis first Lesson. 



the company, and on January 1st, 1877, we issued a forty-one page 
pamphlet, entitled "A New Treatise on the Training of the Horse," by 
Prof. 0. R. Grleason & Co., published at Springfield, Mass. We now 
spent the winter of '77 in the State of Connecticut, exhibiting in all 
the principal towns, including the city of Hartford. 

In the spring and summer we canvassed thoroughly the southern 
portion of Massachusetts, New York State, small towns only in the 



— 18 — 

latter, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, arriving in Philadelphia in 
December. In January, 1878, I gave the first public exhibition of 
horsemanship by charging an admission of 25 cents at the door, at 
Doyle, Nichols & Co.'s Old Eace Street Bazaar. Wm. Fiss and John J. 
Durr, now proprietors of the 24th Street Horse Market, New York 
city, was at that time the owner of a very vicious horse, well known 
as "Resolute." This animal was a vicious biter, striker and kicker. 
1 got the consent of these gentlemen to handle this horse at a public 
exhibition, which drew for me an immense crowd. Not being up in the 
show business at that time, I only hired the building for one day, 
believing that I could show to all the people in Philadelphia at one 
exhibition. I have learned better since. My success in the handling 
of this horse was something wonderful ; I made him do everything 
that could be done with the most gentle horse. My father at this 
time was still traveling with me, and he enjoyed my skill and nerve 
in taking hold of such a vicious brute as this horse was. Geo, W. 
Childs and many other noted gentlemen in Philadelphia was present 
and applauded my work and endorsed my methods of handling. 

After leaving Philadelphia I went to Wilmington, Del., where I 
handled the celebrated horse "Running Gale," belonging to William 
Doble, the father of Budd Doble. This animal I thoroughly broke 
in three lessons so that any person could drive him with safety. 

My father being in a bad state of health at this time, suffering 
from a heart trouble, and after a long consultation, we concluded to 
dissolve the company, which we did at Dover, he returning to his 
home in Vermont with all the animals. So on the morrow there 
was a sad parting and a sorrowful adieu, for I could but feel that 
this was the last time I would ever see him, and I think he thought 
so too. Shaking him affectionately by the hand, I turned away with 
my eyes filled with tears, giving my buckskin mare " Topsy" (as I 
had dubbed her), which had been a faithful animal during the years 
passed, and had traveled over seven different States with me,. a fare- 
well caress, and thus we parted, never again to meet on earth. Soon 
after reaching home, my father was taken worse, and was finally laid 
quietly away before I ever heard of his death. I then immediately 
left for the State of Connecticut, canvassing thoroughly a number 
of towns in the State. Arriving in the spring of '79 in the good old 
Keystone State of Pennsylvania, traveling and lecturing in the coal 



— 19 — 



regions, still forming classes. As there had been no horseman 
through this section of country for a number of years, my success 
was all I could desire. 

And now, gentle reader, let me relate to you a little episode, which 
to me has been one of the most, yes, the greatest " epochs" in the 
whole history of my life. In my journeyings through this mining 
country, up and down its rough and rugged hills, across its beautiful 




Mrs. Cattileen E. Gleason. 



valleys and mountain brooks (the latter which abounds with "speckled 
trout," so highly esteemed by epicures), I found nestling quietly 
amongst the hills, the quiet little village of Dtmmore, where and at 



— 20 — 

this time dwelt the person who I have since taken as my partner in 
my business, to share with me all my joys and pleasures, prosperity 
and adversities. And I will right here add, that tip to my present 
writing, this day and date, the co-partnership has never been dis- 
solved, and the prospect of its ever being dissolved, is in the future 
so dim that it is really not worth mentioning. So at this stage of 
affairs you can all solve the riddle. My wife's maiden name was 
Cathleen E. Jordan, born and brought up in the great coal fields of 
Pennsylvania, and to her I confess I owe, to a large degree, my suc- 
cess in business. She has been for the past nine years my constant 
companion, never missing a single exhibition, either in public or 
private, and it is to her quick and " discerning sight, also solution of 
many business problems, that has laid the corner-stone of my suc- 
cessful career. After joining our union, we started right off on 
business for our bridal tour, going into the southern part of Penn- 
sylvania, arriving at York, January, 1880. 

This place I made my headquarters for a period of four months, 
forming a class of over 1C00 members at $2 per head. At the termina- 
tion of my school, I gave a street parade, wherein there was over 600 
mounted men, headed by the writer as Marshal, driving a four-in- 
hand team of black horses. Directly after this parade, I gave an 
exhibition, free to everybody, handling a very vicious horse. And 
immediately after the exhibition, I gave a free turkey dinner to all 
the members of my class ; soon after which I left for Hagerstown, 
Md. At this place I remained for the space of two months. Among 
the many hundred horses I handled while here, was the cele- 
brated horse, " Kentucky Prince,' 7 owned by John Cost, and I thor- 
oughly broke him so I could make him do everything but talk. I 
had him so thoroughly under my control, that Mr. Cost, his owner, 
was very anxious for me to drive him around to the surrounding vil- 
lages, where I was giving lessons to my classes, which were already 
formed, and which I very readily accepted of, as everybody at Hagers- 
town knew this horse, and were afraid of him ; but I had him under 
such good subjection, that my wife used to drive him. Prince was 
very nervous and high-strung, but I had him so thoroughly in hand 
that lie would obey the word of command with the rapidity of 
thought; and while driving from Hancock to Hagerstown, about 
midnight, I was accosted in the road by two highwaymen, who 



21 



stepped in front of the horse, and demanded a halt ! As quick as 
lightning, I gave Prince the word, and he jumped, striking the two 
men with the wheels of the wagon, knocking them aside, and in less 
time than I am writing his name, he had us all out of harm's way. 
While they fired two shots after us, however, we derived no harm from 
them wha'ever. After remaining in the above place for two months, we 
then left for good old Virginia, arriving at Winchester in the fall of 
1880. This city I made my headquarters for one month, and 




taking in the small towns in a radius of say sixty miles. After 
leaving Winchester, we went (I say we, for I have a partner now,) 
to Harrisonburg, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley, where we did a 
very successful business, at the termination of which T gave a free 
excursion over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, bringing into Har- 
risonburg over 7000 farmers. I handled upon this occasion ten 
very bad horses, and during my stay here, I made very many warm 
friends. 



— 22 — 

I then took in Staunton, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Danville, 
arriving in Greensboro, N. 0., in the winter of '80 and '81, with a 
nice little stake of cash in hand, and I went to work and billed 
Greensboro for an exhibition. But on the day of the exhibition, my 
class being so small, it was insufficient to meet my expenses. My 
poor success here I attributed to the bad state of the roads, which 
were really indescribable, and to add still more to my misery, my 
wife was taken sick with typhoid fever, keeping me confined there 
for nine weeks, breathing nothing but malaria all the while. But to 
the skillful manoeuvring of the eminent Dr. ^Gregory, and the kind 
care and gentle nursing of mine host and his highly esteemed wife, 
Mr. and Mrs. Benbow, assisted by myself, we saved her life, which for 
many days hung on so slender a thread. As soon as it was safe to 
do so, I started alone for Ealeigh, Goldsboro, Wilmington and a num- 
ber of other towns in the State. Owing to the bad condition of the 
roads, and the lack of interest of the inhabitants, I was compelled 
to return to Greensboro with poor success, where I had left my wife, 
and without a dollar in the world. From here I went to Atlanta, 
Ga., having had to borrow money of my landlord (Mr. Benbow), in 
order to defray my expenses. I remained in Atlanta for two weeks, 
meeting with fair business, sufficient to repay my friend Benbow for 
the borrowed money, also my hotel bill. From thence I went to 
Augusta, Macon, Savannah and a number of the smaller towns 
through the State of Georgia. On my arrival at Savannah I discov- 
ered a namesake of mine, who proved himself a tried and true friend 
to me and mine, and at his livery stable I made my headquarters. 
At the termination of my business in Savannah, which proved fairly 
successful, I having some cash in hand, I believed a trip to Florida 
would benefit my wife. So I started for Jacksonville, and spent the 
winter of '81 and '82 there, amongst its genial atmosphere and its 
numerous alligators, and I was amply repaid by my sojourn there in 
the complete restoration of my wife's health, saying nothing about 
some sprints of sports so hugely enjoyed by your humble servant. 
From here I left for South Carolina, making Charleston my head- 
quarters, for one month. 

From Charleston I went to Chattanooga, Tenn. I made my ad- 
vent here with a little surplus cash, which is always man's best friend, 
here I formed a small class, but could not work up interest enough 



— 23 — 

to pay expenses, so I left for Nashville, where I remained about one 
week, and T being then in such poor health, I was compelled to give 
it up and go to bed, where I was confined for three weeks. Then on 
my recovery, I went for Lexington, Ky., in the heart of the famous 
blue grass regions, also famous for its blooded horses, not mention- 
ing anything about its cattle, for the horses was what I was most 
interested in, and upon my arrival I billed the city for an exhibition, 
and through the assistance of such men as Col. West, Robert Strader, 
Woodard and Brassfleld, and Gen'l Withers, I succeeded in form- 
ing a very large class. One of my successful feats performed in this 




place was the handling of a valuable " Almont Filly," the property 
of Gen'l Withers. This was one of the most vicious colts that I 
ever handled. It is here due my readers, as also myself, the space 
and time to fully acquaint them and dwell with some length on 
this celebrated mare. I had heard of her by some of the horsemen 
of Lexington, as being such a bad kicker, that all the horsebreakers 



— 24 — 

who had previously handled her, had given her up as no good, and 
in meeting General Withers one day, I says, " General, let me handle 
your mare.'' He replied, " you cannot drive her." I says, " I can hitch 
and drive her in two hours." He says, "you can take her, but first 
promise me that you will not injure her," which I did most emphati- 
cally ; and after obtaining his permission I then advertised to handle 
this noted mare in the streets of Lexington (a square called Cheap- 
side), but found the crowd so dense and congregating so fast, that 
the police interfered and I was obliged to repair to the circus ground, 
where I subdued, mid drove her within 60 minutes after taking her 
in hand. I then used this mare in making my visits to the surround- 
ing small towns, until I had her thoroughly broke. I spent the 
spring and part of the summer of '82 in Kentucky. One day, on my 
arrival from Paris, where I had been on business, and making the 
journey in the open air, on going into the hotel, I noticed that every 
one eyed me with a suspicious stare, and also seemed to avoid me ; 
but I went into the dining-room and there found my wife seated 
at the table. 

Soon after I took my seat the people all arose en masse and left 
with fear and consternation, leaving myself and wife a clear field. 
While we were both wondering what the excitement was, a 
physician came in with the landlord to give me a special examination 
and diagnose my case. The doctor, after a good look at me, said, 
with a smile upon his contenance, " yes, he has got it bad ; but in- 
stead of its being 'small-pox,' it is the measles." Well, after the 
excitement had subsided, I made up my mind I did not feel very well, 
so went to my bed, where I was confined for two weeks. As soon as I 
was able to resume my professional career, I went from Lexington, Ky., 
to Ripley, Brown county, Ohio, arriving there in August in 1882, 
and stopping at the Latona Hotel, having at that time for mine host 
one E. V. Chapin, formerly a New York man. But to my story. 
While sojourning at Ripley, I took in all the river towns in Ohio, 
from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Portsmouth, Ohio, forming classes, still 
keeping my headquarters at Ripley ; and with good results, making 
sufficiently ; so I thought I would change and embark in a business 
where I could have an easier time, make money faster, and have a 
o-nod time ffenerallv. And while I was in this condition of mind, I 
meet a man who was manager of a theatrical troupe Avhich was 



— 25 — 

stranded, and was overpersuaded by him to take his company, and 
place them on their feet again. So into it [ went, heart, soul and 
body, (just the same as if I was handling a noted kicking horse,) and 
the outcome of it was " Gleasoifs Nobody's Child Company;" and 
during the first real lucid spell I had after the fever had abated, I 
found myself peeping through the window of a box-office looking for 
somebody to buy a ticket to see the historical play enacted upon the 
stage, and before the foot-lights of a theatre. Well, I soon realized 
that I Mas going to need some more ready money, so I persuaded 
a lightning-rod man, one Jas. E. Culon, to take a half interest with 
me, after convincing him that there was millions in it. Why, I could 
see before me such grand realizations of wealth, that I began to' be 
worried as to what investment I could make, whereby it would be 
safe for the money. Well, from Eipley, Ave showed in Georgetown, 
Ohio, from Georgetown, I went back to Kipley, taking the whole 
troupe with me, and stopped again at the Latona House, in order to 
catch my breath, and take in wind enough so as to make another 
grand flight. Well, Portsmouth was the next point. Portsmouth 
to Chillicothe, to Irontou, through West Virginia ; to Huntington, 
and thence to Staunton, in the Shenandoah Valley, meeting with ill 
success in all of the aforesaid places. I thought by taking in the 
best towns in the Shenandoah Valley, where I had made so many 
friends in my old profession of horse training, I flattered myself they 
would flock to see me in my new role as proprietor and manager of 
" Gleason's Xobody's Child Company." But here I found myself again 
mistaken, and on reaching Winchester, where the actors commenced 
clamoring for their salaries, which, of course, it was impossible for me 
to pay at that time, and they would not go on the stage and give an- 
other exhibition without their money. 

Well, now you can talk about your kicking horses being bad to 
subdue and handle, and with which I have never met with a single 
failure. Here I encountered more than my match. I could not 
handle them, they kicked too hard, and all kicked at onetime. There 
was only one way to subdue them, a device not my original inven- 
tion, consequently I had no patent on it and could not control it — 
" Money." So I let the concern go to pieces, and we dissolved the 
concern at this place, leaving me and my lightning-rod partner with- 
out a dollar in the world, and I was on my beam's end (so to speak) 



— 26 — 

as to know what to do next. So I went off by myself to meditate 
and resort to the best expedient there was to command in my little 
stock remaining, which was all the capital I had in business, and 
being among strangers, I thought the best thing for me to do was to 
go where some knew me. It occurred to me that the landlord at 
Martinsburg, W. Va., knew me well as a horse trainer. I thought 
I would go and see him and give him a benefit, by borrowing some 
money of him to get another start. So I hired a carriage to take 
myself and defunct partner over to Martinsburg, it being about fif- 
teen miles away, and on arriving there I went in, and he greeted me 
as of old, supposing he was going to have a monied customer. But 
after our friendly meeting I took him one side, and told him I wanted 
him to go to the door and pay the cabman for bringing us there, as 
I had no money. He laughed, but readily consent 3d, and also loaned 
me some money to go to Cumberland and there give an exhibition in 
horsemanship. On arriving there, my money being all exhausted 
once more for transportation and printer's bills for dodgers to throw 
around the town, I gave a free exhibition in front of the postoffice 
and formed a class, bringing in a total in cash of $42. 

From Cumberland we went to Pittsburg, Pa., where we formed a 
large class and done an excellent business, and thence to Cleveland, 
0. In this city I had a very large class of Cleveland's wealthiest 
and most substantial men. From here we went to Detroit, Mich., 
but owing to the cold weather we did not do much business. We 
then left for Toledo, 0., making our headquarters at Paps' livery 
stable for three weeks. My lightning-rod partner left me at this 
place, and up to the present writing we have not met. 

From Toledo I went through the State of Ohio, stopping afc all 
the small towns, spending the winter of '82 and '83 in this State. In 
the spring I went to Dunkirk, X. Y. Here I formed a nice little 
class, and after remaining one week, I left for Jamestown. This place 
I made my headquarters for nearly two months, lecturing in all the 
small towns for a radius of fifty miles, doing a nice business. From 
here I made a tour through the oil regions, but made very little 
money. 

Arriving at Brooklyn, N. Y., in June, 1883, I commenced an en- 
gagement with W. C. Coup, the original owner of the one hundred 
thousand dollar bronco horses. Here I filled an engagement of four 



-27- 

weeks at 5th street and Flatbush avenue. I was at this time work- 
ing for Mr. Coup for a large salary. 

After filling my engagement in Brooklyn, I left by boat for Nor- 
folk, Va,, taking my mare with me. Here I done an immense busi- 
ness for three weeks. I then left for Petersburg and Eichmond, 
meeting with a very friendly class of people, genial and hospitable 
to a high degree, who greeted me with all the deference I could de- 
sire, and more than I ever dared to hope from them. Well, with its 
genial people and its balmy and salubrious atmosphere, made me 
very loth to leave this part of the country. So rather than stay and 
wear out my welcome, I packed up and went to Baltimore, Md., and 
here I done an immense business, remaining in this city the winter of 
'83 and '84, giving exhibitions every evening, Sundays excepted, for 
ten weeks, under the " Hour Lithograph Establishment," doing an 
immense business, being crowded every night. Here I handled the 
celebrated " Tinpan horse," deriving his name from his having run 
away with a load of tinware, and thereby causing him ever after that 
to be perfectly frantic and entirely unmanageable at every bit of tin- 
ware he would chance to come in -contact with. I handled him and 
completely subdued him in two lessons, being driven all the time 
afterwards with perfect safety. In the spring T left for the Eastern 
Shore of Maryland, where 1 received a welcome from the farmers re- 
siding in that section of country, and formed very large classes and 
handled a number of very vicious horses. 

From here I went back to Wilmington the second time, and gave 
a free exhibition nightly for two weeks. Nearly all the inhabitants 
turned out, including men, women and children, making very large 
audiences every night. After closing my engagement here I went 
for New York State, stopping at the following towns in Pennsylva- 
nia on my way : Chester, West Chester, Media, Norristown, Bethle- 
hem, Allentown, Easton and Wilkesbarre, arriving in Elmira, N. Y., 
where 1 remained for two weeks, making this place my headquarters, 
and taking in the small towns for a radius of twenty-five miles, 
doing a fair business only. I then left for Buffalo, stopping at all 
the small towns en route, arriving at the last named place November 
15th, 1884. 

While stopping in this city, T sat down in a wise way, taking a re- 
trospective view of my past life, counting cash on hand and making 



— 28 — 

some figures on paper, as a possible expense in future. I think I 
arrived at a wise conclusion, that I would change my style of busi- 
ness, simply working the people for their patronage as scholars at $3 
per head, for I would meet with so many who were anxious to learn 
my methods, but could illy spare the money, that I resolved to adopt 
the present system of giving exhibitions inside in some convenient 
place or enclosure and charge an admission fee, and for this bright 
idea I have never been the least sorry, as it has been much more re- 
munerative. And the first exhibition I gave after adopting this res- 




G lea son floating his first Ha? 



The Beacon light to Victory. 9 



olution I at once hired the " Republican Wigwam'" on Niagara street, 
and opened upon the 22d of November, 1884, charging the small 
sum of 10 cents all around, and as a consequence I filled the 
house to overflowing, having to turn away people every night. 
With all this outpouring of humanity I could not meet my 
expenses, which at that time were merely nominal, as the wig- 



— 29 — 

warn could not hold enough to do so, so I had to raise my 
prices (but it took me one week to find all this out,) as there had 
been in this city a number of so-called horse trainers. This new 
idea of mine took the city by storm, it being something new, and 
my original idea. For the nine weeks of my engagement I done 
a profitable business, and was well pleased with the "new idea.'' 

During my engagement here, I made the acquaintance of Mr. C. 
J. Hamlin, of East Aurora, New York, who made me a proposition 
to take charge of his stock farm, and superintend the sale of his cel- 
ebrated trotting stock. But this I did not take kindly to, as it was 
not my vocation to be a stock raiser. But Mr. Hamlin, not to be 
Thwarted in his pet enterprise of obtaining my services as superin- 
tendent of his farm, conceived the idea of getting on the right side 
of my wife, and prevailing upon her to use her influence in his 
behalf, finally succeeded in gaining the day and bringing me over to 
his terms. I took the position, thinking and believing that Mrs. 
Gleason done this more to have an abiding place, and that probably 
it would result in our settling down- somewhere on "God's green 
earth*' permanently and make us a home, I yielded, and was to com- 
mence my engagement on the first day of April, 1885. I now left 
for Chicago, J1L, opening in Grineer's Garden on West Madison 
street. Here I exhibited to crowded houses for ten weeks. As I 
was about to close my engagement in this city I heard of a very vi- 
cious horse which belonged to the proprietor of the Gait House. The 
Chicago newspapers in the meantime had given the name of " Steel 
Springs and Dynamite," and knowing the garden was not large enough 
to accommodate the people who would flock to see this horse handled, 
I leased " Battery D " for two nights, at an expense of $200 per 
night, and of course advertised it thoroughly, resulting in packing 
it on the first night to suffocation. 

The reader can paint in his or her imagination the following 
picture of a wild and vicious horse, with all the bad habits combined 
in him, after his struggles succeeds in breaking a strap used in con- 
trolling him, takes a little trip on his own account, dragging about 
three men with him, pell mell, hit or miss, through this vast multi- 
tude of frightened human beings, with those having him in charge 
powerless to control him; but at last I caught him, bringing him to 
a stand still, and after renewing my attachments, placed him again 



— 30 — 

in the ring, and within thirty minutes had him completely sub- 
dued. 

The following letter tells its own story : 

Chicago, February 13th, 1885. 
O. R. Gleason, Esq.: 

Dear Sir. — We desire to sincerely thank you for the good work done 
on our mare, which you handled for us Tuesday evening (3d inst.) in your 
exhibition at Grenier's Garden. At that time we had offered her for sale 
for one half of her value, Mr. Haase declining to again risk his life by 
driving her again ; nor did we believe it possible ev^er to so control her, 
that she would be a pleasant and safe horse to drive ; but on Wednesday, 
4th (the day after your tuition), our Mr. Hayman had her hitched up, and 
without trouble to him was enabled to control her perfectly, and has so done 
ever since. We have no further trouble with her, and as the mare is a 
desirable one to own (when under control), she is not for sale at any price. 
With best wishes for your success and prosperity, we are, &c. 

Yours, respectfully, 

C. HAASE & CO. 



From the Chicago Horseman, Chicago, Saturday, February 14, 1885. 

Merit Recognized. — On Saturday night last, at Grenier's Garden, 
Prof. Gleason brought a ten weeks' engagement to a pleasant close. 
During that period, nightly he has lectured on the horse, educated him, 
trained him, cured him of evil tricks, and demonstrated that the horse is 
an intelligent animal to be educated, not abused, to be trained, not kicked. 
At the conclusion of the first part of the entertainment, Mr. E. B. Aber- 
crombie, on behalf of numerous admirers, stepped into the ring and in a 
few appropriate remarks presented the professor with a valuable horse- 
shoe set with diamonds. He leaves Chicago with the warm wishes of a 
very large circle of friends and admirers. 

Prof. Gleason has achieved a success that no other man can claim, 
showing in Chicago, 111., for ten weeks, giving seventy-two exhibition to 
over one hundred and fifty thousand persons, handling two hundred and 
sixteen head of vicious horses. 



The Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Wednesday, March 7, 1885. 

An Expert Horseman. — Over 1,200 people assembled in Battery D 
last night to witness an exhibition of horsemanship as shown by Prof. O. 
R. Gleason. The floor of the large hall had been covered with sawdust, 
and at the east end stood a score or more of animals, each of which, it 



— 31 — 

was alleged, was possessed of some vicious trait or bad habit. The horses 
were the property of different residents of Chicago, and none of them, it 
was said, had ever been seen by the trainer before. 

A bay mare was led to the center of the floor, and her owner informed 
the professor that she was in the habit of shying violently at newspapers 
or other light objects which the wind might carry before her on the road- 
way. Under the trainer's care the mare soon understood that the objects 
of which she had stood in fear were harmless, and coolly walked over a 
quantity of large white sheets that had been thrown upon the sawdust. 
A vicious kicker was quieted soon into the gentlest submission. A brown 
horse belonging to a prominent lightning-rod firm was next led into the 
hall. The horse was a "runaway*' and w;is declared unmanageable by 
its owners. At the expiration of ten minutes an open umbrella flourished 
about its head did not disturb the perfect composure of the animal, and 
he did not raise a hoof from the floor when the professor repeatedly fired 
a pistol from the animal's back. 

This last act of the '•' horse drama" closes my first exhibition in 
Chicago, and I now leave Chicago and my nnmerons friends for the 
Hamlin stock farm, Aurora, N". Y., situated fifteen miles from Buf- 
falo. Here about the middle of March I commenced my duties as 
manager of a stock farm, and many and endless were the duties I 
had to encounter. The first I had to contend with was one hundred 
and sixteen head of horses that Mr. Hamlin was to get ready for his 
sale, which took place in May. 

It was indeed a pretty picture to see this number of blooded horses 
in the finest possible condition in one grand procession, in their 
march to the Buffalo Driving Park, and, dear reader, not wishing to 
tire you with a detailed account of the many trials and tribulations 
I passed through during my stay on this farm, suffice it to say that 
I terminated my engagement in three months after I took it, and 
gave a public exhibition at the close, drawing the largest concourse 
of people that ever assembled at East Aurora, at which time Mr. C 
J. Hamlim presented me with the following letter : 

Buffalo, N. V., July 2d, 1885. 
To the Public. 

I take pleasure in certifying to the integrity of Prof. O. R. Gleason, 
late manager of Village Stock Farm. 

I have seen him handle a large number of horses, and consider his 
method of training and subduing vicious animals unsurpassed. Persons 



— 32 — 




— 33 — 

having valuable animals need not be afraid to trust them in his care. All 
who love the horse should see Professor Gleason in his exhibitions. 
Horsemen in particular will do well to carefully observe his methods. 

Respectfully, C. J. HAMLIN. 

And bidding Mr. Hamlin and my new-made friends adieu, I turned 
my back on the States, taking night to Toronto, Canada, not, my 
reader, in the role of a bank cashier or president fleeing from justice, 
but prospecting for new fields in which I could prosecute my busi- 
ness for gain. And here let me say I was indeed a happy man to be- 
again free and general of my own time. My first exhibition after 
reaching Canada was in the old Riding Academy at Toronto, where 
I gave exhibitions for four weeks, meeting with grand success, hand- 
ling 150 head of horses ; at the close of which I was handed the- 
following letter and $500 in sovereigns : 

Toronto, Canada, November, 12, 1885. 
Professor O. R. Gleason. 

Sir — On behalf of some of the horse owners of the City of Toronto, I 
take the opportunity to present you with this purse, as a small token of 
esteem. We hope your efforts have been successful to enlighten and 
establish in our minds the many benefits to be derived from a thorough 
knowledge of the horse, and how to handle and train him, as so ably 
explained by you in your lectures. Hoping your stay in Toronto has 
been beneficial, we trust your course may be as prosperous in the future. 

Respectfully, ALEX. MUNNING, 

Mayor of Toronto. 

From Toronto I went to Hamilton, London, St. Catherine's, and 
all the small towns, doing a grand business filling engagements 
with agricultural societies. 

My success in Canada was very satisfactory financially, having 
handled 1243 head of horses, and gained very many friends. I then 
left for Boston, Mass., stopping at Albany, Hudson, Chatham, Pitts- 
field, Westfield, Holyoke and Springfield. 

While at Springfield I made a stay of two weeks, forming the 
largest class, 680 members, that was ever held in the city. The 
working of this class was done in Murshe's livery stable. The rea- 
son of my going back to my old system of organizing a class here was 



— 34 — 

"because I could get no place to give an exhibition, and was pur- 
suaded to do this by my friends. 

From here I went to Boston, Mass. I opened in the city of Boston 
on January 25th, 1886, at the old "Boston Eiding Academy," 1209 
Washington street. This building had not been used for a number 
of years, which caused me considerable expense to put it in order. 
As it w as considerably run down, I had to erect seats and put in 
stoves to make it comfortable for the people who patronized my ex- 
hibition. And on my opening night I was agreeably surprised to see 
the Academy crowded to its utmost capacity, and during my inter- 
mission, which it has always been my custom to take, of ten min_ 
utes duration, while sitting in my dressing-room, who should pre- 
sent himself at the door but my old instructor, Prof. Williams, 
who was residing at this time in the city of Boston. To say I was 
surprised would be putting it mild, for he was the furthest person 
from my thoughts, and had not even thought of him. I can assure 
the reader that I was very glad to meet my old tutor again on earth, 
and was also very glad to have him for one of my audience. After 
passing a few pleasant reminders and allusions to the days of " Auld 
lang syne," we separated to meet again on the following evening, on 
a cordial invitation, and in such a way as the reader will see. 

During the following day, acting upon a suggestion from my wife, 
we together arranged a little surprise (that was not mentioned on 
the bills) for our audience, and personally aimed at Prof. 0. H. C. 
Williams. At the expiration of my intermission on this my second 
evening, as I was about to commence the continuation of the even- 
ing's entertainment, I called Prof. Williams into the ring, presented 
him with a gold-headed cane, and made the following remarks: 

Ladies and Gentlemen : 

Ten years ago I, a Worcester county boy, hearing that Prof. C. H. C. Wil- 
liams, a celebrated horse trainer and educator, was about opening a class 
of scholars to receive instructions as how to train the vicious horse, in our 
vicinity, I embraced the opportunity of attending his course, and became 
so infatuated with his system, that he made so plain, that I embraced it, 
and have made it the study of my life. If in the many long years that 
have passed, by unremitting toil and indomitable will, I have made any 
favorable changes or improvements from the system which he then taught, 
I can only ask him to be lenient with me. And now, Prof. Williams, per- 



— 35 — 

mit me, sir, to present you with this cane, as a token of my regard and 
esteem, as I shall regard you always my first instructor, and as you lean 
upon this staff, may it be as great a support to your descent of the hill as 
your early lessons to me have been in ascending. [Loud and long ap- 
plause.] 

Prof, Williams replied as follows : 

Ladies and Gentlemen : 

This is a complete surprise to me. I have been present for two evenings, 
and am much pleased with the great success of a former pupil of mine. I 
am convinced that Mr. Gleason has well and thoroughly learned what I 
always tried to impart to my pupils, and must herein acknowledge that he 
has made a great improvement in the system I then taught ; and if I make 
the proclamation before you to-night that he stands before you this even- 
ing the champion in his profession, I feel that I am only giving words to 
the minds of this audience. Mr. Gleason, I accept with pleasure this 
beautiful gold-headed cane, and thank you heartily for the same. [Loud 
and prolonged cheering.] 

I continued my exhibitions in this academy, for fourteen consecu- 
tive nights, to its full capacity. The horsemen of the city of Bos- 
ton presented me with a gold hunting-case watch, with a Howard 
movement, wherein the Boston Herald of February 27th, 1886, makes 
the following mention : 

Prof. O. R. Gleason Watched. — An audience of about 500 ladies 
and gentlemen were present at Prof. Gleason's equine school (Boston 
Riding School) last evening, to witness his handling of vicious horses, and 
were treated to a little act which was not on the published programme. 
After working unceasingly for over an hour with an especially vicious an- 
imal, the professor took an intermission of perhaps 15 minutes previous 
to exhibiting some trick horses which he has in charge. As he stepped 
into the arena, at the close of the intermission, he called to his attendants 
to bring in one cf the horses, an elegant animal owned by a South-end 
stable keeper, but, instead of the horse being led into the ring, ex-Coun- 
cilman Charles W. Whitcomb stepped to the centre, and in a witty speech 
presented to Mr. Gleason an elegant gold hunting-case, first quality, How- 
ard watch and chain. 

Prof. Gleason was completely taken by surprise. In expressing his 
thanks to the donors, he announced that this would not be'his last appear- 
ance in Boston, as was expected, for, owing to the large number of horses 
he had been called upon to train, and also from the fact that he had ar- 



— 36 — 

ranged to teach a number of horses tricks, he had decided to remain in 
Boston a month longer. 

The watch bears on the front case the monogram " O. R. G.," and on 
the reverse is an engraving of a horse, which is said to be an excellent 
likeness of Jerome Eddy, a stallion having a record of 2:16^. On the in- 
side of the case is the following inscription : " Presented to Prof. O. R. 
Gleason by his friends in Boston, Feb. 27, 1886." 



Presentation of a Gold Watch to Prof. Gleason. 

Saturday Evening, February 27. 1886. 
Ladies and Gentlemen : 

I have been requested by a number of gentlemeu, who have been reg- 
ular patrons of Prof. Gleason's lectures, to state that they have brought 
with them this eve a hard subject, one never handled before, and upon 
which they are desirous that the Professor should exercise his skill. She 
is small in size, a sort of buckskin in color, and her ease is indeed a hard 
one. She is so difficult to manage that it is always necessary to have 
three hands about her to make her go, and even then she will not move 
unless she feels the wheels behind her. When once started, however, her 
movement is perfect. She is a high-metaled thing, and is kept chained 
all the time ; she is sound, with the exception that she is obliged to wear 
a wash-leather bandage as protection from the scratches. She has been 
engaged in several matches against time, which have invariably resulted 
in dead heats. When on the track she is apt to get into a pocket, so it 
behooves the Professor to be careful in attempting to use her, for if she 
should get into a pocket with him this eve he would then be well watched 
by his friends. 

[Taking the watch from Mr. Gleason, Mr. W. continued :] 

A few short weeks ago Professor Gleason came to this city a compara- 
tive stranger and almost without acquaintance. To-night he looks around 
among this large audience upon a host of friends, made during his stay 
here, and to whom his contemplated departure is a matter of deep regret. 
These gentlemen friends (I do not know how many lady friends the Pro- 
fessor may have made,) have taken the great interest which they have in 
the Professor's welfare, not only because his interesting lectures have 
enabled them to pass many a pleasant evening in his company, but also 
because they have acquired from his exhibitions much useful and valuable 
information, which none of the so self-styled horse-tamers and horse- 
breakers (and their name is legion,) have given them before. 

These gentlemen believe that of all the lecturers upon the horse whom 
they have heard, he stands alone the genuine article and the true exponent 



-37- 

of the best methods in horsemanship. They believe that he has reached 
the highest pinnacle of success in real horsemanship, from whose heighths 
the everyday exhibitions of others, alleged horse-trainers, seem insignifi- 
cant. They know he has accomplished all that he claimed, and this in 
itself is sufficient to convince them that he is an honest lecturer. 

I have been shown this eve the circular of another horse-tamer, in 
which it is stated that the renowned Rarey first taught us the A, 
B, C's of horsemanship, while the author of this modest and unpre- 
tentious advertisement (I think it was somewhat less than twelve feet in 
length), claimed to have improved on Rarey, in that he would teach us to 
put our A, B, C's into words. Now, while it is undoubtedly important 
that we first learn our A, R, C's and then learn to form words from them, 
such education alone and of itself would be incomplete. We must advance 
a step further and learn to construct phrases and sentences from our words, 
and then to string our sentences together in proper shape so as to express 
our thoughts and carry into execution our ideas. It is this last and most 
important step in the education of the perfect horseman — the execution — 
that Professor Gleason has taught us. He has shown us not only the A, 
B, C's and the words of horsemanship, but he has enabled us to make 
them serviceable by teaching us how, personally and by ourselves, to 
carry into execution our primary lessons. The world is greatly indebted 
to Stephenson, who first subjected steam to the control of human agency 
as a motor for public travel in his invention of the locomotive ; it likewise 
owes much to Fulton, who built the first steamboat, but I believe you will 
agree with me when I say that no small meed of praise is due to him who 
makes our everyday travel safer, and equine property more valuable, by 
bringing under subjection vicious specimens of man's most serviceable 
animal, and by teaching us how to so break and train him and preserve 
his health that his best powers may be utilized. 

Such a man is Professor Gleason. I might dwell at length upon many 
of the remarkable feats accomplished by the Professor during his Boston 
exhibitions, but I have already usurped too much of your time, so that I 
will merely say, in conclusion [turning to the Professor], that it becomes 
my very pleasant duty, Professor, to present to you this elegant gold time- 
piece, of Howard's best make, which your Boston friends beg you will 
accept as a slight token of their esteem and of their appreciation of your 
highly successful efforts in the education of that noble animal the Horse. 

After Professor's reply, W., holding up the watch to view, said : 

If it be necessary that this watch should eventually come into posses- 
sion of some of Professor's relatives, we all trust that it may never, during 
Professor's lifetime at least, get into the hands of his uncle. 



— 38 — 

We, the undersigned, subscribe the sums affixed to our names, for the 
purpose of procuring a suitable testimonial to be presented to Professor 
O. R. Gleason, in recognition of the valuable instruction he has so gener- 
ously given us in the management of the horse, and to show our appre- 
ciation of his genial, gentlemanly qualities : 

A. W. Davis, Mr. Haywood, 
J. J. Morris, C. H. Mend, 

B. D. Whitcomb, E. M. Wilson, 
John Manson, N. T. Robinson, 
Mr. Wiley, W. W. Stevens, 
J. P. Robinson, C. E. Snow, 

J. C. Warren, H. E. Hall, 

.Geo. M. King, . C. D. Welch, 

J. W. Hanlon, J. C. Richard, 

James Fowler, R. W. Robbs, 

F. H. Whitman, D. Mahoney, 

Dr. A. J. Brantford, James Tithe, 

M. Custer, S. A. Mend, 

A. D. Wells, M. Richardson, 

C. D. Jenkins, P. Fenton, 

J. Bradford, G. E. French, 

L. H. Johnson, A. Howard, 

W. R. Mead, J. Harman, 

P. P. Pettin, B. D. Whitcomb. 
S. C. Chase, 

On the same evening of the presentation of the watch, I received 
the following testimonial : 

Boston, February 27th, 1886. 

We, the undersigned, have attended Prof. O. R. Gleason 's exhibitions at 
the Riding Academy, 1209 Washington street, and have been greatly in- 
structed and much pleased. His wonderful success proves that his 
methods far surpass all others, and the practical illustration of the same 
receives our hearty endorsement. No abuse of nor acts of cruelty to the 
dumb animal in his hands has been seen or made use of, education in- 
stead of "breaking" evidently being his motto. Prof. Gleason deserves 
the respect and esteem of all Bostonians for the great and lasting benefit 
he has conferred upon the horse, by instructing the horse owners and 
blacksmiths, coachmen and drivers. 

1. John M. French, 161 Milk street. 

2. John R. Haseltine, 335 Washington street. 

.3. Ed. L. Clair, New York City, Agent for Prof. Roberge. 



— 39 — 

4. John W. Hanlon, 776 Albany street. 

5. Warren J. Stokes, Jamaica Plain. 

6. J. J. Bovven, Boston, Beacon Park. 

7. F. B. Subert, Boston. 

S. F. H. Whitney, Boston. 

9. R. W. Ross, 1807 Washington street, Boston. 

10. Charles H. Cox, 21 Ball street, Boston. 

11. Thomas Bremon, Boston. 

12. J. W. Redman, 112 Kendall street, Boston. 

13. James Murphy, 6 Lime street, Boston. 

14. P. Burke, 103 Warren street. 

15. George W. Hanlon, 776 Albany street. 

16. Henry M. Cox, 2093 Washington street. 

17. Henry C. Smith, Boston. 

18. E. A. Littlefield, Boston. 

19. Dr. William Bradford, Foster. 

20. Amos D. Gould, 76 Clifton street, Dorchester. 

21. J. Cummings, Boston. 

22. Walter W. Blackett. 

23. Chas. H. Delano, 108 Cross street, Somerville. 

24. Elwyn F. Hebard, 2000 Washington street. 

25. Dr. Al. Watts, 164 Lincoln street, Boston, Mass. 

26. Frank W. Flower, Dorchester, Mass. 

27. A. W. Davis, 80 and 82 Northampton street. 

28. Chas. H. Homan, Roslindale, Mass. 

29. John T. Manson, 116 West Chester Park. 

30. Charles G. Roberts, Veterinary Dentist, Boston, Mass. 

31. Phineas P. Pettes, Boston, Mass. 

32. J. W. Graves, 1275 Tremont street, Boston. 
2,3. W. H. Wall, 807 4th street, South Boston. 

34. H. W. Peters, Supt. of Stock of M. R. R. Co. 

35. B. D. Whitcomb, 737 Fremont street. 

36. M. M. Smith, Roxbury. 

37. Wm. Oger Spencer, Washington Market. 

38. W. H. Pearson. 

39. Henry Hunt, Creighton House. 

40. John Miller, 269 Highland street, Roxbury. 

41. H. A. Rogers, 20 Decatur street, E. Boston. 

42. H. P. Farras, 26 Decatur street, E. Boston. 

43. D. J. Neman, Armstrong Transfer Company, Boston. 

44. F. B. J. Snete, Boston. 

45. S. A. Davis, 20 Creek Square, Boston. 

46. D. O'Brien, Arnold street, Boston. 

47. Philip Yeaton, Rockingham Hotel. 



— 40 — 

48. T. W. Burlingam, 23 Berkley street. 

49. Wm. A. Wood, 252 Washington street. 

50. S. H. Johnson, 9 Emerson street. 

51. J. Drunton, 32 Ash street. 

52. F. L. Skillin, 173 West Third street. 

53. M. S. Paul, with Adams Express Company. 

54. T. O' Regan, 30 West Dedham street. 

55. John Hogan, 79 West Dedham street. 

56. John Larecy, 79 West Dedham street. 

57. Frank G. Lillyman, V. S., 23 E. Concord street. 

58. John H. Fields, 859 Albany street. 

59. James H. Brennon, 197 Roxbury street. 

60. Frederick C. Gay, 29 Columbus avenue, Somerville. 

61. G. N. Tobey, 55 Oliver street, Somerville. 

62. G. A. Emery, 51 Oliver street, Somerville. 

63. N. H. Walker, 697 Shawmul avenue, Boston. 

64. Thos. McDonald, 12 Longward avenue. 

65. Andrew Pratt, 61 Day street, Boston. 

66. John T. Gilford, 1 Renfew street. 

67. Charles Cranshaw, 23 Berkley street, Boston. 

68. H. J. Fay, Boston, Mass. 

69. J. L. Brown, Boston, Mass. 

70. S. W. Ordway, Boston, Mass. 

71. W. S. Summer, Jamaica Plains, Mass. 

72. J. N. Hassam, Hyde Park. 

73. A. C. Loud, 1763 Washington street. 

74. W. V. Hayward, of D. W. A. & Co/s Express. 

75. A. J. Brown. 

76. J. Weihart, of Chesbone & Weihart Express. 

77. J. H. Lang, Mechanic street, Boston. 

78. John Hartigan, 436 Harris avenue. 

79. H. H. Wait, East Cambridge. 

80. Charles A. Alexander, No. 3 Neponset avenue. 

81. C. E. Peters, B. 396 Washington street, Dorchester. 

82. Adrean H. Sanfom, No. 7 Woster Place. 

83. E. M. Wilson, D. D. S., No. 127 Court street, Boston, Dentist. 

84. Jas. C. Orton, 2459 Washington street, Boston. 

85. Chas. Reccord, V. D., Taunton, Mass. 

86. G. A. Morse, 2000 Washington street. 

87. Dr. Eben M. Wilson, Dentist, 127 Court street, Boston— Home at 

W r oodstock, Vermont. I saw Prof. Gleason give his first exhibi- 
tion in Vermont in 1875. 

88. E. C. Walker, 750 Tremont street. 

89. Edson H. Elliott, Navy Yard, Boston. 



— 41 — 

90. Andrew J. Risley, Navy Yard, Boston. 

91. Arthur B. Eames, North Wilmington. 

92. Frank Burr, East Boston. 

93. \Vm. H. H. Clark, 65 Dover street, Boston. 

94. R. M. Gleason, Boston, Mass. 

95. \V. R. Ellison, Boston, Mass. 

96. F. E. Coon, Somerville. 

97. George H. Gourley, Boston, Mass. 

98. Marcellus Carter, Swampscott, Mass. 

99. Richard Lakeman, Boston. 

100. Charles E. Stack, East Cambridge. 

101. J. L. Wyzauski, East Cambridge. 

102. Henry Wyzauski, East Cambridge. 

103. Robert Lock, Old Cambridge. 

104. John Morrell. 

105. W. H. Greenleaf, Watertovvn. 

106. James Donalason, 341 Washington street. 

107. John R. Graham, Ouincy, Mass. 

108. S. W. Parlin, Boston, Mass. 

109. J. B. Benson, Ouincy, Mass. 
no. Y. F. Kellin, South Boston, 
in. R. W. Robbs, Boston. 

112. William E. Dupee, Boston. 

113. H. E. Dupee, Boston. 

114. George C. Bard, Boston. 

115. H. H. Hicks, Boston. 

116. Jacob Lewis, Boston. 

117. Thomas S. Paterson, Boston. 

118. Alden Snell, n Roxbury street. 

119. T. H. Searles, Boston. 

120. C. M. Hosmer, Boston. 

121. G. W. Prichard, Boston. 

122. J. S. Kellin, Boston. 

123. J. E. Ryan, Boston. 

124. William Balmer, Cambridgeport. 

125. William M. Balmer, Cambridgeport. 

126. John E. Balmer, Cambridgeport. 

127. Granville F. Seaverns, Raslindale, Mass. 

128. Percy King, Cambridgeport, Mass. 

129. James E. Fry, Cambridgeport, Mass. 

130. James T. Frederckson, Mount Pleasant. 

131. William Summers, Boston, Mass. 

132. J. P. Robinson, 19 W. Canton street, Boston, Mass. 

133. R. W. Doidge, Way street. 



— 42 — 

134- R. B. Watson, 62 Albion street, Boston, Mass. 

135. H. L. Whitney, Boston. 

136. John Reardon, South Boston. 

137. Robert S. Bradley, Boston. 

138. H. S. Mann, Boston. 

139. Rohl O. v. Zindler, Boston. 

140. David J. Jordan, Boston. 

141. Thos. Blackwood, Veterinary Surgeon, Boston, Mass. 

142. John P. Prichard, Somerville, Mass. 

143. J. G. Wishart, Wishart Bros. 

144. J. Frank Twiss, Boston. 

145. George W. Demett, Boston. 

146. C. A. Vroom, Boston. 

147. Fred. C. Roth, Boston. 

148. A. Abbott, Boston. 

149. James A. Folsom. 

150. Miss Q. A. Folsom. 

151. W.W. Worley. 

152. H. Doyland, Boston. 

153. M. C. Paige. 

154. D. A. Berry, Boston. 

155. G. E. Curtis, Boston. - 

156. C. S. Scofield, M. D., Boston. 

157. James Fowlie, 67 Northampton, S. Boston. 

158. Aaron C. Mitchell, 63 Northampton, S. Boston. 

159. Thomas J. Murphy, Boston. 

160. H. L. Critchitt, 282 Washington street, Boston. 

161. F. J. Leight, 40 Warren street, Boston. 

162. C. H. Stone, 13 Worcester street. 

163. R. J. Cowen, 26 Rugglas street, Boston. 

164. L. H. Vincent, 215 K street, S. Boston, Mass. 

165. L. Streepney, 3 Magog Place, Boston, Mass. 

166. Fred. Kincaid, North Cornville, Maine. 

167. O. R. Ford, Greensboro, N. C. 

168. J. H. Ware, Boston, Mass. 

169. George W. Wemple, 79 West Dedham street. 

170. A. D. Miller, 19 W. Canton street. 

171. A. J. Bamford, 124 W. Concord street 

172. John C. Wacker, 166 Portland street. 

173. Wm. H. Guynne, Cambridge, Mass. 

174. L. W. Chamberlin, Boston, Mass. 

175. C. W. Hunter, Saddler, 129 W. Brookling street. 

176. P. F. Callahan, Allen's Express driver. 

177. Bernard Fay, Car driver. 



178. Edward S. Kirts, Chelsea. 

179. John H. Ailman, Jamaica Plains. 

180. George P. Richardson. 

181. W. A. Bragdin. 

182. Thomas Collins. 

183. John I. Young. 

184. Ida A. Bloom. 

185. Anna B. Graves. 

186. Carrie E. Brown. 

187. Lilla E. Paul. 

188. Mollie E. Folsom. 

189. Chas. D. Motley, Laramie, W. T. 

190. A. W. Cushman. 

191. Mrs. A. W. Cushman. 

192. F. S. Evans. 

193. L. H. Prance. 

194. Walter R. Meins. 

195. J. R. Snow, East Somerville. 

196. William Wood, Somerville. 

197. George W. Snow, South Somerville. 

198. Charles W. Coburn, M. R. R. Co. 

199. John L. Williams. 

200. John A. Bradford, Boston. 

201. H. T. Tarbox, Boston. 

202. D. W. Stevens, Boston. 

203. Edward Safford, Boston. 

204. Andrew Kemson. 

205. Robert McMillan. 

206. C. L. Davis. 

207. F. A. McAvoy. 

208. Charles O'Hare. 

209. John Cohan. 

210. J. E. Lang. 

211. G. E. French. Attended Prof. Gleason's first exhibition at Wood- 

stock, Vermont, 1876. 

212. Philip Yeaton, Propr. "Rockingham," Boston. 

213. A. Pahmian, Jamaica Plains, Mass. 

214. A. L. Ireland, Boston. 

215. F. A. Mace, Expressman. 

216. C. Grilley, Boston. 

217. Otis E. Randall. 

218. O. G. Randall, M. D. 



— 44 — 

The following testimonial speaks for itself : 

Prof. O. R. Gleason : 

Dear Sir. — I am a thorough believer in your method of educating the 
horse, and am positive that it is the correct one, and if followed accord- 
ing to your teaching, productive of the best results. The ten weeks of 
unprecedented success that you have achieved in Boston, by practically 
illustrating a scientific principle, elaborating it in detail in a manner to 
convince skeptical horsemen of its just claim over all other systems that 
have been applied by their exponents, has thoroughly won my admiration. 

Horsemanship, like generalship, is a natural endowment. Some men 
are born to command ; others have no magnetic force to inspire courage 
and confidence in themselves or others. You have a nervous, sanguine 
temperament, and instinctively rise to a point seemingly beyond the reach 
of an emergency. Your confidence in your ability to control any horse 
in an inconceivably short time (to the looker-on) is a marvel to horsemen. 
Were horses as treacherous as men, you could not have handled upwards 
of 17,000 and to-day be a living witness to your great success in the art of 
horsemanship. In my opinion you control largely by force of your dom- 
inant superiority over the brute creation. This power was made absolute 
in the first man which history records, but in these latter days much of its 
supremacy has been lost. Many have essayed to regain that complete 
mastery, some by means brutal in the extreme, others by kindness alone. 
Neither of the methods have been more than partially successful. Kind- 
ness is indispensable, but must follow the impress of fear, indelibly 
stamped upon the animal, then to gain his confidence, at the same time 
holding over him the symbols with which he was subdued, he continues a 
willing and obedient servant. I think these principles are fully established 
in your methods. Neither Rarey, Magner, Pratt or Rockwell have so 
fully possessed the qualities that give you distinction. 

H. L. WHITNEY. 
Boston, March 2 g, 1886. 



We, the undersigned, fully endorse the above testimonial to the skill we 
have seen exhibited by Prof. Gleason during his recent stay in Boston : 

B. D. Whitcomb, 737 Tremont St. ; Brice S. Evans, Equitable Build- 
ing ; Frederick Mills, 115 Congress St. ; Marlborough Williams, 13 and 15 
F. H. Market ; Miller & Robinson, 19 West Canton St. ; J. C. Warner, 41 
Pembroke St. ; John L. Manson, 116 W. Chester Park ; Geo. M. King, 138 
Worcester St. ; G. Lamkin, 128 Tremont Row ; Chas. W. Whitcomb, 10 
Tremont St. ; W. T. Pierce, Commonwealth Hotel ; C. Van Kuran, 490^ 
Tremont St. ; J. J. Bowen, Beacon Park. 



-45 — 

He also holds another testimonial signed by over one thousand 
Bostonians. 

I at this time found that the Riding Academy was too small to 
accommodate the crowds of people who congregated nightly to wit- 
ness my entertainments, so I made arrangements with Daniel McKay, 
Esq., for his beautiful " Highland Rink." Here I filled a four weeks' 
engagement, making in all eighteen consecutive weeks in the city of 
Boston. And on my closing night, Saturday, April 17th, 1886, I 
was astonished to have the pleasure to have given an exhibition to 
over 1,800 people, and on the following day, Sunday, I was compelled 
to leave for the metropolis of America, New York city, to prepare to 
meet my engagement, which commenced on the following Monday 
evening. 

As this was my first engagement in New York, I made all arrange- 
ments for the season through my manager, Fred. Lovecraft, Esq., 
Secretary of the Coney Island Jockey Club, who had engaged for 
me the famous Cosmopolitan Hall, Forty-first street and Broadway. 
My exhibition was the first one of its kind ever given in New York 
city since 1860, when the illustrious Rarey exhibited here, astonish- 
ing everybody with his then wonderful and marvelous methods of 
handling wild and vicious horses, as the reader will at once see on 
referring to the following extract from the New York World, together 
with these engravings of John Rarey and myself: 

The World, Monday. April ly. 

Two Horse-Tamers. — A Max who is about to Revive Recollections 
oe the Great Rarev. 

That history repeats itself is a truism long- accepted, rinding apt illus- 
tration in an interesting exhibition to be begun in the Cosmopolitan Hall 
this evening. Following is a picture of Rarey, the horse-tamer, who was first 
seen here in i860. He was a small, lithe, bright-eyed man who came from 
the other side without heralding or advertising of consequence, and first 
attracted attention by announcing through the press that parties owning 
vicious, unruly, ugly tempered horses could have them entirely subdued 
and made gentle as Mary's lamb if they would bring them to him. His 
first exhibition was given in Brooklyn, his second in this city, and on the 
latter occasion a noted horse named Cruiser, a famous biter, a particularly 
high kicker, with a temper worse than that ascribed to the wife of Soc- 
rates, was in the brief space of half an hour, absolutely subjected and 
made docile as a pet poodle. 



— 46 



Irving Hall was the scene of Rarey's operations, and old-timers will 
remember with what enthuiasm they subscribed to procure truck horses 
with bad records and all manner of equines warranted to raise Old Harry 




The Wonderful Rarey. 

on the shortest possible provocation. All this took place so long ago 
that it has doubtless passed beyond the recollection of even "old sub- 




scribers," but it is now to be renewed before the public eye by Prof. 
Gleason, a renowned horseman, who suggests a series of evening enter- 



-47 — 

tainments in the Cosmopolitan, when he will take kickers, runaways, 
balkers, horses that are timid, afraid of cars, top wagons, paper, and so 
forth, which may be brought to him without previous information and 
turned over to his manipulation in the ring in the presence of the audience 
for the first time. It is estimated that there are $3,000,000 worth of first- 
class horseflesh in and about the city of New York, and it may be doubted 
if any class of property can enlist more general interest or wider sympathy 
than this. Everything which gives information concerning the general 
management and control of horses is of necessity not only interesting and 
entertaining, but valuable, and valuable not alone to the Bonners of the 
earth, who have fortunes invested in horses, not alone to the patrons of 
the turf who gain their living by their familiarity with speeders and flyers, 
but to the great army of men who drive, tend and look after horses in the 
stable, in the smithy and along the lines of travel or occupation. 

On my opening night I introduced to my audience the noted and 
famous man-eating stallion " Eysdyk," who had killed his groom on 
Tuesday, and on the following Monday I handled him in Cosmopol- 
itan Hall, he having been shipped to me by his owner from Montreal, 
Canada, coming through by Adams Express. In order to get Cos- 
mopolitan Hall in proper shape, I was compelled to employ a gang 
of carpenters on the job all night Sunday and all day Monday, at an 
expense of $547. Notwithstanding all, we got everything in shape, 
and ready for the opening when the hour rolled around, and besides 
the famous Eysdyk, I had ten other bad and vicious horses, and the 
pleasure of seeing Cosmopolitan Hall packed to suffocation at $1 per 
head, while thousands were turned away, Now, then, dear reader, 
I will call your attention to the stallion Eysdyk, and how I ap- ' 
proached him on this memorable night. I had made for the special 
handling of this celebrated vicious stallion an inclosure constructed 
of hard wood bars, twenty-four feet square by eight feet high, fastened 
together with iron rivets. My assistants turned the horse loose 
in the inclosure, without a strap or a string upon him ; the first time 
he had been turned loose in many years. This horse had been 
clubbed and beaten on the head so much that I came to the conclu- 
sion that if I carried out in my training of him the old plan of club- 
bing him, that he might possibly kill me, so I adopted the following 
method : I took an ordinary buggy whip in my left hand and a Colt's 
revolver, of 44-calibre, loaded with blank cartridges, in my 
right hand. The moment I stepped inside of the inclosure, 



— 48 — 

Rysdyk came for me with his mouth wide open. I immedi- 
ately discharged the revolver in the horse's face, standing directly 
in front of him. At this he turned quickly from me, upon which 
I struck him with the whip around his heels. As quick as a 



YOUNG RYSDYK 
IN ACT Or" KILLING GROOM 




THIS VICIOUS HORSE WAS HANDLED 
BY 
PROF. 0. R. GLEASON 
IN NEW YORK CITY 
APRIL 19 1886 




flash he wheeled and made for me again to bite me, when I gave him 
the benefit of another blank cartridge in his face, which drove him 
into his corner. Then he turned toward me, when I cautiously 






— 49 — 




reached out my hand and patted him caressingly upon his shoulder. 
Two or three times this was repeated ; each time I approached nearer 
to the horse. 

Suddenly there was a cry from the audience. Like a flash, the stal- 
lion had seized me by the right forearm with his gleaming white 
teeth, upon which I fired the revolver several times in front of the 
brute's nose. The animal sprang wildly around the ring, and in a few 
moments went to his corner again. I then resumed my former tac- 
tics. I made him stop at the word, "whoa!" several times. Then, 




I began to pat him on the shoulder again. Once more the man- 
eater snapped at my breast, hitting me with his teeth. I had to 
resort to the revolver again, and when he wheeled to kick me, I 
freely lashed his hind legs. Again, I patted him, this time he showed 
docility, was completely drenched with perspiration, and made no 
more attempts to bite me. 

In just twenty- five minutes after I entered the pen I placed the hal- 
ter upon him, and had the fence taken away. 



— 51 — 

At this juncture, I put my double Bonaparte bridle upon him, 
and made the stallion follow me wherever I went. Then removing 
the Bonaparte bridle, and using instead a common ordinary bridle, 
I next used my double-safety rope, (which is fully described else- 
wiiere in this book,) and drove Eysdyk around the ring. Soon after 
I put the harness on him, and hitched him to my break wagon, 
jumped in, and drove him, starting and stopping him by the word 
of command. I then introduced to his favorable notice, drums, bells, 
tinpans, &c, and drove him up to them amidst all the din that it was 
possible to produce from them, Eysdyk standing and taking it all 
in like a good philosopher, and finally finished handling him for the 
evening by harnessing another horse in with him and driving him 
double in the ring, and on the following day I had him hitched to 
an ordinary side-bar wagon and drove him through Central Park. 
On Friday I shipped him back to Montreal, Canada, to his owner, a 
bright, shining and honest graduate from Prof. Oscar K. Gleason's 
" Equine College." I exhibited here to the capacity of this hall for 
four weeks, and if the reader will glance at the following notices of 
the press, he can form some idea of the immense business I did 
here, and handling publicly and privately 416 head of horses. The 
following special notice was given me by the New York Times : 

New York Times, April 20, 1886. 
Prof. Gleason Subdues the Man-Eating Stallion Young Rysdyk. 

The Cosmopolitan Theatre was crowded last night with people anxious 
to see Prof. O. R. Gleason, the horse trainer, handle the vicious Canadian 
stallion that killed his groom a week ago. When people entered the house 
they saw a big brown horse standing inside an inclosure of board fence 
painted green. Prof. Gleason appeared a few minutes after 8 and spoke 
briefly to the audience. He intimated that most horses had more intelli- 
gence than their drivers, and after a few encouraging remarks entered the 
pen with the stallion, carrying a whip and a cocked revolver loaded with 
blank cartridges. He spoke to the animal in a loud tone, and then walked 
toward him. The stallion moved into a corner of the pen and turned his 
heels toward the professor. Instantly he received several stinging blows 
around the hind legs. Then he turned his head toward the Professor, who 
cautiously reached out his hand and patted the beast on the shoulder. 
Two or three times this was repeated, each time the trainer going closer 
to the horse. 



— 52 — 




iPfilillll 

iiiiii 



— 53 — 

Suddenly there was a cry from the audience. Like a flash the stallion 
had turned and seized the professor by the right forearm with his gleaming 
white teeth. The instructor dropped his whip, and with a violent effort 
wrenched his arm free. Then he fired the revolver several times in front 
of the brute's nose. The animal sprang wildly around the ring and nearly 
knocked down the fence. In a few moments he ran into a corner again. 
Then the professor resumed his former tactics. He made the horse stop 
at the word ''whoa" a number of times. Then he began to pat him on the 
near shoulder again. One more the angry beast whirled and snapped at 
the professor's breast, hitting him a powerful blow with his strong teeth. 
The revolver came into play again. Then the animal's hind legs were 
lashed. Once more the professor patted him. The animal's coat was wet 
and he was blowing like a racer. He made no more attempts to bite. 

In just twenty-five minutes after entering the pen Professor Gleason put 
a halter on the stallion and had the fence taken down. Then he called for 
a small rope, and put a double Bonaparte on the horse. He passed the 
rope around his neck, through his mouth, over the top of his head, under 
his upper lip and through the circle around his neck. He made the stal- 
lion follow him wherever he went. Then he put a bridle on him and took 
off the Bonaparte. Next he put on a big surcingle with a ring underneath. 
Two straps were put around the animal's fore fetlocks. A rope was 
fastened to the near one, passed through the ring in the surcingle, down 
through the ring in the other fetlock strap and back through the surcingle 
ring. Then a pair of reins were put on and the professor drove the animal 
around the ring, using the rope to hoist the near fore foot whenever the 
brute tried to kick. In a short time he put the harness on him, hitched him 
.to a buggy, jumped in and drove him, finally starting him and stopping 
him by verbal command. Then he had a big bass drum hammered near 
his head, and tinpans and sleigh bells rattled. The stallion went straight 
up to them and was not annoyed by them after a few trials. The professor 
laid down the lines, put his feet on the dashboard and fired the revolver. 
The stallion stood like a statue. A horse afraid of paper was next brought 
in. The professor soon had paper all around his head, threw it at him, 
made him walk over it and act as if there was nothing in the world he 
liked better than paper. A kicker was put into double harness with this 
horse and both acted beautifully. 

See also the following editorials : 

The Mail and Express. — Editorial. 

Horse Training. 

Mr. Gleason's instructive exhibition in the great field of horse-training — 
his admirable showing of how a vicious horse may be handled by one who 



— 54 — 

"has the courage, knowledge and skill of a true trainer — are throgs that 
have greatly interested the community; for our people are "horsey" in the 
best sense of the term. There is no place in the world where the horse is 
more admired, cultivated and treasured than here, and everything that 
concerns his welfare, and the more complete understanding of his nature 
and control of such untoward impulses as he may have, are things very 
eagerly learned by our horsemen, and the learning of which by them must 
be of advantage both to the horse and his owner. For these reasons Mr. 
Gleason is a friend of the horse, as a good surgeon is the friend of man. 
If he seems in his operations to give pain, the ultimate and permanent 
•advantage of his help is so beyond all proportion to the hurt that it is only 
the reasoning of a child that would confuse the two. Mr. Bergh's inter- 
ference and pretense to stop the experiment of showing how a wicked 
^animal could be governed was a piece of characteristic posing that our 
people are accustomed to. It was not in the interest of the protection of 
animals, but the expression of a personal vanity that seems to have no 
well defined limit. If Mr. Bergh's own reasoning is correct, if the effort 
to train and control a vicious horse is a cruelty that he is authorized to 
prevent, then men must be mangled or all vicious horses must be killed. 



Remarkable Horse Taming. 

Professor O. R. Gleason is attracting very large gatherings at Cosmo- 
politan Hall, Broadway and Forty-first street, by his exhibitions of horse 
taming, which began on Monday evening. By his system of treatment he 
quickly subdues the most vicious and stubborn animals, so that they man- 
ifest a docility and an aptitude for education that would be worthy of note 
in horses of any class. Great interest in his methods has been awakened 
in circles which give attention to riding and driving. Among his notable 
achievements may be noted the complete subjection of two very savage 
horses, one of which had bitten his groom severely, while the other had, 
it is said, actually killed a man. Both of these animals were trained so 
effectually that they stood quietly while drums were beaten and pistols 
fired over their heads. Another animal, especially terrified by paper, was 
treated so successfully that in a few minutes he willingly permitted himself 
to be snowed by pieces of that material. Mr. Gleason controls his equine 
patients partly by the adroit use of the whip, partly by personal influence 
and courage, and partly by means of a bridle which is of a particularly 
effective and powerful pattern. He also sometimes uses blank cartridges 
to terrify a refractory horse into submission. The exhibitions, as has 
been intimated, are of remarkable merit. 



— 55 — 

The World, Sunday, April 25, 1886. 

Rysdvk Submits Gracefully — The Fiery Untamed Steed Subdued 
by Professor Gleason. 

Rysdyk, the black-brown Hambletonian stallion who killed Groom 
Brady by shaking him in his teeth, came to New York a week ago so wild 
that he had to be chained head and foot. His owner, J. H. Kimball, of 
Montreal, wanted to get rid of him at any cost, but could find no one to 
take him as a gift. Professor Oscar R. Gleason heard about Rysdyk, and 
said he guessed he would tackle him, just for fun. After ten minutes' 
acquaintance Rysdyk and Professor Gleason were on such good terms 
that the stallion consented to be hitched up, and deliberately faced a Ger- 
man brass band in the Metropolitan Rink without wincing. 

Yesterday Professor Gleason hitched Rysdyk up to a black side-bar buggy 
and drove him through the noisest streets and under the elevated railroad. 
Then he drove through Central Park and up the Boulevard as far as Gabe 
Case's, where hundreds of prominent people assembled to see the exhi- 
bition. The ferocious stallion was as subdued and tractable as any veteran 
street car horse. Rysdyk left for Montreal on the 4 o'clock train from the 
Grand Central Depot. 



New York Morning Journal, April ig, 1886. 

The savage steeds were quickly subdued by Prof. Gleason, who asserts 
that horses only need educating. 



New York World, April 20, 1886. 

Prof. Gleason gave an exhibition of his skill in subduing vicious horses, 
and was entirely successful. Robert Bonner was among the spectators 
who applauded the professor's wonderful nerve and skill in dealing with 
the savage beasts. 

New York Times, April 20, 1886. 

Intensely exciting the contests were, but Gleason's indomitable will 
power and virile strength finally conquered brute force in every instance. 



New York Sun, April 21, 1886. 

Prof. Gleason has made a reputation by his skill in subduing vicious 
horses. The man-eating stallion was finally mastered, but Gleason had 
to fight foi his victory. The vicious beast had made up his mind to eat 
him, and came very near doing it, too. 



— 5e — 

New York Herald, April 22, 18S6. 

The performance included the handling of a vicious brute that could 
not be harnessed without danger, and the subjugation of a mustang, whose 
proud owner ruefully declared, with strange oaths, that he was a "poly- 
jointed combination of steel springs, dynamite and the devil." The 
animals were completely tamed. 



New York World, April 22, 1S86. 

Mr. Bergh interfered with Prof. Gleason's exhibition of horse taming, 
but it was finally agreed that the tender feeling of the vicious horses should 
not be hurt any more than was absolutelv necessarv. 



New York Star, April 2j, 1SS6. 

The runaways, after they have been treated by the professor, seemed to 
be inspired with a passionate love for the soulful throbbings of the bass 
drum, and followed the drummer around, even as the sunflower follows 
the sun. 



New York Spirit of the Times, April 24, 1S86. 

Go to see Gleason. He shows the power of man over brute strength 
and viciousness. 



New York Sportsman, April 24, 1S86. 

Prof. Gleason secures results astounding and satisfactory. He mounts 
and dismounts elegantly, rides like a trooper and drives like a veritable 
Jehu. 

New York Mercury, April 23, jS86. 

Prof. Gleason last night accomplished the most difficult feat he has yet 
had, by getting the hind feet of Mr. Hexamer's thoroughbred gelding 
shod — a remarkably courageous and almost foolhardy task. 



New York Tribune, April 23, 1S86. 
Prof. Gleason defied the cranks and subdued the sorrel geldins 



New York Dispatch, April 23, 1886. 

Prof. Gleason, whose tilt with Mr. Bergh seems to have enured very 
greatly to the horse tamer's credit, has shown through his wonderful study 



— 57- 

that the horse can be mack- to yield obedience without resorting to cruelty 
in the treatment. 



New York Sportsman, May i, 1SS6. 

Prof. Gleason has continued to exemplify his system of subduing refrac- 
tory horses. Seeing is believing. Gleason is doing valuable work. 



Harper's Weekly, May s, 1886. 

The professor succeeded in subduing the beast so effectually that on the 
third evening the stallion would follow him around the ring like a lamb, 
and even consent to practice a number of tricks which had been taught 
him. 



New York Spirit of the Times, May 1, 1886. 

The reigning sensation of the day in the amusement line in Prof. Glea- 
son's nightly exhibition of horse taming. His success as a horse breaker 
is trulv marvelous. 



New York Mail and Express. 

Mr. Gleason's instructive handling of the vicious animals was beyond 
praise. 

New York Herald, Thursday, April 22, 1886. 

Prof. Gleason goes on Conquering Horses without Cruelty. 

A great crowd of persons were in Cosmopolitan Hall last night, many 
of whom appeared to be horse owners and drivers, to see Prof. Gleason's 
feats in horse training. The programme included handling of a vicious 
brute that could not be harnessed without danger. An exhibition of the 
man-slaying stallion that came from Montreal, and the subjugation of a 
mustang, whose proud owner ruefully declared with strange oaths, that 
he was a " polyjointed combination of steel springs, dynamite and the 
devil." Mr. Bergh was there, he sat in a box with numerous friends. 
The stallion was easily and briefly handled. On Monday night he had 
fought like a wounded savage ; on Tuesday night he had treacherously 
bitten the professor twice, only failing to do serious harm on account of 
the professor's vigilance and activity ; last night he was as docile as a 
lamb, and performed the see-saw act satisfactorily, though he had only- 
been trained for one day at it. A muzzle was kept on him, however, 
for his treachery was dangerous. 



— 58 — 

New York Times, Sunday, April 25, 1886. 

Shoeing a Vicious Horse — Professor Gleason encounters a 
Vicious Horse. 

" That is the most vicious horse I ever saw in my ten years' experience 
in handling vicious horses," said Professor Gleason last night at Cosmo- 
politan Hall, after the big sorrel horse from Hicksheimer's stables in 
Hoboken had had shoes put on his hind hoofs last evening for the first 
time in the seven years of his life. "His spirit isn't broken and he is just 
as wicked, now that he is shod, as he was before. It would take a week 
to break him fully, but at the end of that time I'd guarantee to break him 
so that a child twelve years old could pick up either hoof as easily as I 
then could." 



New York World,' Tuesday , April 20. 

Professor Oscar R. Gleason gave an exhibition of his skill in subduing 
vicious horses in the sawdust ring of the Cosmopolitan Hall last evening' 
and was entirely successful, as round after round of applause greeted this 
truly wonderful man at every move he made. A large bay stallion was 
rendered even more wild and vicious by the ringing of bells and beating 
of drums, but Mr. Gleason took the animal in hand and, after a struggle, 
forced him to his knees and then on his back, completely subduing and 
driving him in a very few minutes. Robert Bonner was among the many 
prominent spectators who applauded the professor's wonderful nerve and 
skill in dealing with this savage beast. 



The New York Morning Journal, April 20, 1886. 

The Man-Eating Stallion — Desperate Battle between a Horse 

and a Horse Tamer — Steeds quickly Subdued by Professor 

Gleason, who asserts that they only need Educating. 

The first of a series of entertainments to be given by a horse breaker or 
rather horse trainer, Professor Oscar R. Gleason, took place at Cosmo- 
politan Hall last night. The attendance was all that could be desired, 
many ladies being present. The parquet last night was turned into a sawdust 
arena with a twenty-four foot six-bar inclosure in the centre, in which was 
Livery Stable Keeper Leich's desperate kicking mare, which was submit- 
ted for training. 

Among the well-known spectators were Mr. W. H. Turnbull, Mr. Ira 
Brown, Mr. W. H. Vanderbilt Cross, Mr. David Bonner, Mr. Leonard 
Jerome, Mr. J. G. K. Lawrence and Judge Fullerton, as well as a number 
of Union and New York Athletic Clubs members. 



— 59 — 

New York Times, April 20, 1886. 

Vicious Horses Tamed — Rarev Eclipsed at Cosmopolitan Hall — 

Three Dangerous Animals Mastered by Trainer Gleason. 

A Splendid Exhibition of Horsemanship. 

Cosmopolitan Hall was transformed into the liveliest sort of a hippo- 
Irome last evening. A firmly knit young man, blonde, 5 feet 10 inches in 
height, wearing a black silk jockey's jacket, corduroy trousers, a pair of 
high riding boots, was the principal actor. His name is Oscar R. Gleason. 
His pupils were three vicious stallions, and with them he had successively 
three sorts of Graeco-Roman wrestling matches. 




New York Clipper, October 23, 1886. 

Professor Oscar R. Gleason entered his third week of horse training 
Monday, October 25, at Cosmopolitan Hall. He handles a new equine 
subject nightly, and thus far has repeated his wonderful success of last 



— 60 — 

season, when he crowded the hall for a considerable period. His enter- 
tainment has the desired interest of intense and continued excitement from 
beginning to end. He will probably make a long stay here and there 
should be but a few fractious steeds in the city when he closes it. As 
Booth and Barrett are to the love-going dramatic people, so is this great, 
wonderful man to all lovers of that noble animal the Horse. 

During my engagement here I handled the celebrated mare called 
"Ugly Mary," wherein the New York Sun recounts as follows : 

New York Sun, April 23, 1SS6. 

Taming Ugly Mary — The Mare Killed a Mm in Boston, but 
found her master in professor gueason. 

The Montreal stallion was driven out yesterday afternoon through the 
Central Park, over the Boulevard and under the elevated railway, and was 
throughout a model of amiability and steadiness. 

Ugly Mary, a big chestnut mare, with a muzzle on, was brought into the 
Cosmopolitan Hall ring last night, and a call was made for her owner to 
tell what vice she had. Mr. Jones, manager of Derland's stables, where 
the mare is boarded, said, as the representative of the owner : 

"This mare is a notorious biter. She killed a man in Boston. In our 
stable we always have to keep a muzzle on her. There is only one man 
who can harness her or handle her in the stall. If he is not about her 
owner can't go riding. She is a biter from Bitersville. Put you fist in her 
face and she'll eat you up." 

In subsequent conversation he said that she was formerly the property 
of Mr. David Scott, who, to get rid of her, gave her to Col. Van Wyck, 
her present owner. When her owner drives her out on the road there is 
only one place at which he can stop, for there is but one man, John Ouinn, 
who will dare to put her in the shed. 

After a few minutes struggle the mare was thrown down by means of 
the "double safety rope," and Professor Gleason, while sitting on her, 
made a little speech condemning cruelty to horses and complimenting Mr. 
Henry Bergh — with whom he had had a long and pleasant explanatory 
interview in the afternoon — for his good work in protecting valuable ani- 
mals. When the mare was allowed to get up, the muzzle was taken off 
her and the "double Bonaparte bridle" was put on. During the operation 
she only made one snap at the trainer's hands, and seemed to regret that the 
moment after, when she caught his eye. This bridle is very nearly the 
same as the " Eureka" — a mere bit of slender cord — except that its free 
end is not brought up and fastened to the neck loop, but is run through 
straight and held to be pulled on when coercion seems desirable. With 
that contrivance she was so completely demoralized and subjugated that 



— 61 — 

she submitted to being harnessed again and again, without a sign of biting, 
even after it was taken off and she was only held by a loose halter. She was 
even let go into the ring, with only the halter on, and followed the trainer 
about and obeyed him with the docility of a pet dog. This, Prof. Gleason 
said, did not show that she was cured of biting, but that she could be cured 
if her owner would only put her through a course of such training himself. 



From the livening Telegram. 

Professor Gleason's Feats — Masterly Skill and Physical Power 
Shown Last Night. 

The horse-taming feats of Professor Gleason, at Cosmopolitan Hall last 
night, proved as entertaing to ladies and quite a large number of juveniles 
as to the men who derived their early training on old Harlem lane. The 
Professor's marvelous handling of a vicious horse belonging to a gentleman 
in Forty-sixth street was a spectacle so exciting that the audience at the 
close manifested their approval with rounds of applause. One feature of 
the exhibition that makes it attractive is the running discourse in the form 
of a lecture, in which the driver is trained as well as the horse ; and, 
secondly, the masterly skill, coolness and physical power displayed by the 
professor in holding in check the animals during their wildest pranks. 
The transition from a kicking, unmanageable colt of four years, which 
resisted all attempts to be hitched to a wagon for the space of nearly an 
hour, to a gentle, quiet trotter, with the professor holding the reins, 
brought down the house. It was a wonderful test of endurance both for 
the trainer and the horse. 

Professional Opinion of Professor Gleason's Methods. 

O. C. Farley, veterinary surgeon of the late Rancocoas Stables, Mr. P. 
Lorillard, in a letter to Mr. Lovecraft, regarding Prof. Oscar R. Gleason's 
methods, says : 

" My long connection with thoroughbred horses enables me to profes- 
sionally endorse one whom the public of New York City have so generally 
recognized. His sometime seeming severity and the harsh-looking appli- 
ances used, are only cruel to the uninitiated. It is a well known fact that 
ferocity in animals must be met with coolness and courage of the highest 
order associated with a sternness of demeanor in order to conquer it. 

" Professor Gleason possesses these characteristics in a most marked 
degree, and his subjugation and complete control over some of the most 
ferocious and unruly brutes it has ever been my fortune to come across is 
certainly marvelous, and can but excite the admiration and applause of 
all who witness his performances. The thoroughbred is most courageous 
and is, as a rule, kind, but there are exceptions to this rule, and said ex- 



— 62 — 

ceptions furnish us with horses as fierce and unmanageable as it impossi- 
ble to conceive. This makes them more difficult to handle than the 
ordinary horse. It, however, appears that this is not an obstacle in Pro- 
fessor Gleason's way, and thoroughbred and cold-blooded are alike slaves 
to his wonderful power. 

" In addition to being a conqueror of all kinds of ungovernable horse- 
flesh, he is probably the speediest and best educator extant, and what- 
ever in the way of knowledge the horse is capable of receiving, is im- 
parted by him carefully and effectually in an incredibly short time. 

" I might go on ad libitum, extolling the methods and merits of the pro- 
fessor, but fear I have taxed your patience sufficiently, and must ' pull up,' 
as I am afraid I am quite a ' runaway ' when speaking or writing where 
horses are concerned. 

"Trusting I haven't worn you out completely, I am your friend, 

"Dr. O. C.FARLEY, Veterina ry Surgeon . ' ' 

While exhibiting in New York I had published a large book on 
how to educate the horse. Thousands of these books have been sold 
through the United States, and if I should embrace in my book all 
the press notices, it would be at the cost of crowding out other mat- 
ter of perhaps more importance to the horse and to all lovers of the 
noble animal, hence my selection of only a few important ones neces- 
sary to clearly illustrate to my readers as to my original methods, 
which are at this writing in constant use. 

On Monday, May 17th, 1886, I opened at McCaulFs Opera House, 
Philadelphia, Pa. I had the scenery all taken out and a saw-dust 
ring placed upon the stage, and played for two weeks to the full ca- 
pacity of this theatre, and during my stay I received many special 
notices, but select from them a few remarks made by Geo. W. Childs, 
editor and proprietor of the Public Ledger : 

Prof. Gleason's "Equine School." — Professor Oscar R. Gleason 
began a series of popular entertainments at McCaull's Opera House last 
evening, giving an exhibition of rare skill in the training and breaking of 
"ugly horses." Eour animals, each having some troublesome trick of shy- 
ing, kicking, balking etc., were broken in the presence of the audience, 
Professor Gleason's mastery of them being complete. Compared with the 
average exhibition of educated horses, Professor Gleason's work is far 
superior, for he trains the horses out of raw and sometimes very rough 
material. His performances, which are given every evening at 8 o'clock, 
are very well worth seeing. 



— 63 — 

I feel it is unnecessary for me to say to the reader, for " ten years'*" 
I bad worked unceasingly and without taking any holidays for myself, 
but worked them all, and became thin in flesh, nervous and generally 
debilitated. So by the advice of my friends, and more especially 
my wife, I took a much needed rest to recuperate, and to let nature 
restore the lost energies that my system so much needed. I went 
fishing, hunting and off by myself, away from the hurly-burly of 
mankind, to meditate and study as how to improve my system if 
possible, and make a more perfect method in subduing the wild and 
vicious horse. Also in what manner I could best transfer and make 
plain to my many listeners the result of my rest and meditations, in. 
order to elevate the horse to the sphere second only to man. 

I opened my eleventh year's work at Lynn, Mass., August 1st, 
1886. From here I went to Boston, Mass., which was my second 
visit, where I remained for three weeks, meeting many old friends. 
At which time the Boston Herald says of me as follows : 

Conquering Vicious Horses. — Over twenty years ago Rarey, the 
horse tamer, astounded the world by his manner of subduing wild and 
vicious equines. His wonderful success brought forth numerous rivals, 
but none of these came up to Rarey, who continued to draw large audi- 
ences at every exhibition on both the old and new continents. Clever as 
Rarey was, however, and he was clever enough to obtain appointments 
from the British and French governments, Professor Gleason, the horse 
trainer who is this week at the Winslow skating rink, accomplishes more 
than he did. Last evening the professor handled two ugly customers. 
The first was an undoubted shyer, and the next a vicious kicker, but both 
were reduced to quietness so that they were driven and ridden without 
any trouble. The professor explained how he broke the animals by simply 
educating them, and not by any cruel use of the whip or spur. 

From Boston I went to Portland, Me., and here I was welcomed 
by Dr. Maxwell, a gentleman high up in the profession of the veter- 
inary school, and with all a thorough gentleman, and one whom I 
shall always esteem profoundly for favors extended. The horsemen 
of this city did everything they could to make my exhibition a suc- 
cessful one for me financially, and which was fully realized at the 
close by me. I gave six exhibitions, handling a large number of 
vicious horses. 



— 64 — 

From Eastern Argus, Portland, Me., Aug. 12, 1886. 

Conquering Vicious Horses.— The opening exhibition at the Bijou 
Rink last evening by Professor O. R. Gleason, of his skill in dealing with 
vicious horses, or those not properly broken, was attended by a large 
number of spectators, who were well repaid for their trouble. Professor 
Gleason demonstrated that he can control a horse just as he claims he can 
in his advertisements. The three fundamental principles of his theory are 
as follows : 

First, unconditional control, teaching submission and docility. (This 
being the first lesson for the horse, is of the greatest importance, and is 
the same to his after education that the alphabet is to the boy's, and should 
he learned perfectly for ease and success in after lessons.) Secondly, let 
kindness run through all your actions toward the horse. Thirdly, appeal 
properly to the horse's understanding, prudently associating mastery with 
.kindness ; rebuke wrong and reward right. 

The professor obtained full control of the three horses brought to the 
rink for him to make a trial on. The horses are owned by Charles J. 
Walker, Portland; Dr. Maxwell, Portland, and Daniel Mayberry of Deer- 
ing. In each case, he obtained perfect mastery over the horse, and made 
.him do exactly as he wished. 

From here I went to Lewiston, Me., where I was received with the 
same cordial welcome as at Portland. I remained in Lewiston for 
one week, meeting with grand success, and handled a great many 
Ticious horses. The following press notices will speak for them- 
selves : 

The Evening Journal, Lewiston, Tuesday, August 24, 1886. 

Taking the Starch out of 'em. — Prof. Gleason's Exhibition at the 
Skating Rink, Monday Evening. 

The lights gleamed from the windows of the Lewiston Skating Rink, 
Monday evening. A band played half a dozen selections in front of the 
Pine street entrance. A hundred men stood about the door and four out 
of five of them were horsemen. After the band had played its closing tune, 
everybody filed into the hall. Prof. Gleason, the well-known horse edu- 
cator, gave a first class exhibition in the rink from 8 to 10.30. 

The exhibition was remarkable, and a number of times the result of Mr. 
'Gleason's education of the horse was treated with applause. The exhibi- 
tion was the best ever given here. 



— 05 — 



Fro)ii the Lewiston Gazette. 



The most remarkable and interesting' exhibition of training and subdu- 
ing horses ever seen in Lewiston, began Monday night and will continue 
^through the week at the Lewiston Opera House, by Prof. O. R. Gleason, 
of Buffalo, X. V. One commendable feature of Professor Gleason's exhi- 
bitions is his evident desire to instruct the public on all matters pertaining- 
to the training of a horse. Unlike others he does not sell his methods to 
a few under the strict band of secrecy, but explains, as he proceeds, the 
manner of accomplishing each result. Lovers of horses and owners and 
drivers of that noble animal should not fail to be present, and witness for 
themselves the marvelous working of Professor Gleason's methods. 

From Lewiston, Me., I left by special car for Montreal, Canada, 
opening at the Palace Rink. This being the home of the famous 
horse Rysdyk, Ave did a handsome business, turning away people 
nightly for three weeks. During my stay I learned from Mr. Kim- 
ball, proprietor oi* the St. Charles Hotel, and owner of the famous 
horse Rysdyk, at this time an old gentleman of 65 years of age, 
though bearing up well under his burden of years, was still a hale, 
hearty courteous old gentleman, and had Rysdyk at the Dominion 
Fair, at Sherbrook, Canada, sleeping in his stall every night with the 
horse, illustrating the thorough practical utility, and never-to-be- 
forgotten lessons he had received from me, when he came through 
by Adams Express from Canada, to get his diploma from my acad- 
emy in Xew York. 

The Montreal Jrterald, Thursday Morning, Sept. jo. 

Professor Gleason's Equine Academy. 

On Tuesday night, in presence of a numerous and appreciative audience, 
Prof. O. R. Gleason gave, in the Crystal Rink, an exhibition of his skill 
in dealing with horses possessed of such vices as the habit of running 
away, unwillingness to stand, balking, back-jumping, etc., etc. 

The exhibitions of the professor's skill were most satisfactory. 



The Gazette, Montreal, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1886. 

A Night with a Horse Trainer. 

About seven or eight hundred people assembled in the Crystal Rink last 
evening to witness an exhibition of practical education of the horse by 
Professor Oscar R. Gleason, who claims to be the most successful and least 



— 66 — 

•severe trainer in the world. The performance was well worth seeing, and 
those who would like to see the brute creation treated with kindness, and | 
still brought under control, should not miss the opportunity. 

At the close of ray engagement in Montreal, and bidding Mr. Kim- 
ball and the many friends I had made here farewell, I took my own 
" special car " en route for Albany, New York. Opening at the 




"Academy of Music" on Lark street, where I remained one week, 
turning people away nightly, and handled a celebrated trotter, and 
cheerfully refer the reader to the following article from the Albany 
Argus of October 5th, 1886 : 



Training Vicious Brutes — Professor Gleason's Remarkable Ex- 
hibition at the Lark Street Rink. 

Professor Oscar R. Gleason, horse educator and tamer, entertained and 
instructed several hundred people last evening at the Lark Street Rink. 
About half of the auditorium had been transformed into a sawdust arena, 
strongly roped in, and within this enclosure the professor undertook to 
demonstrate a few of his methods and principles in the management of 
several unruly, intractable and vicious horses. 

From Albany I went to New York city again, playing a second 
engagement in Cosmopolitan Hall for three weeks, with wonderful 



— 67 — 

success. During this engagement I handled horses for Russell Sage, 
Koxwell P. Flower, Jake Sharp, Ike Brown, Wm. Scott, and many 
other noted gentlemen's horses. 

During this engagement, I handled the celebrated race horse 
" Panique," an animal whom the Dyer Bros, had paid $17,500 for. 
This horse was noted for his vicious habits, and counted as the 
worst stallion evt r handled in the city of New York, which I cheer- 
fully subscribe to myself at this time. 

The New York Sportsman is accountable for making the following 
remarks relating to the handling of the above celebrated horse : 

Prof. Gleason and His Progress. 

Prof. Gleason has continued on the even tenor of his way at Cosmopoli- 
tan Hall in presence each night of hundreds of the most enlightened citi- 
zens of the metroplis, who are heart and soul with the blonde giant in his 
really praiseworthy efforts in behalf of mankind versus bad-tempered 
horses. 

From New York city, I take my flight and alight in Rochester, 
thence to Syracuse and Utica, and thence to Lancaster, Pa., where 
I exhibited for two weeks to an immense business, handling over 150 
very vicious horses. From here I went to Pittsburgh, Pa., at the 
grand " Central Rink," January 13th, 1887, giving twenty-one exhi- 
bitions, taking in cash $4,225, and handling 236 horses, both public- 
ly and privately. Here I met with the grandest of success. 

From here I went to Newark, N. J., doing a good business, and 
while here I conceived the idea of leasing the famous Madison Square 
Garden of New York city, the largest enclosed building for the pur- 
pose of giving public exhibitions in the world, and at the close of my 
engagement went to New York city and engaged the celebrated Gar- 
den at the enormous sum of $2,500 per week. It did seem as though 
it would be an impossibility for any one man to interest the public 
sufficiently to fill a place of such magnitude, whose seating capacity 
numbers 7,000. My friends all sought to persuade me to give up the 
enterprise, but all to no purpose, and to all their persuasions I said 
I had made up my mind to pack this great Garden, and I am going 
to do it, so I billed the city and suburbs heavily, advertising thor- 
oughly in all the leading newspapers, at a cost of $5,000. This sum 



68 



as named, of course included the cost of necessary repairs— to the 
Garden (as I had box-stalls constructed all around the enclo- 
sure, &c, &c.,) also music and all other expenses, up to the night of 



FlOR SE MAKJ SHIP rt \f, r i 




my opening, and before 8.15 o'clock P. M., I had the exciting plea- 
sure of seeing the great enclosure tilled to overflowing, and was 
compelled to turn away from the door over 5,000 people, as there 
was no possible chance for even one more to get in ; and right here 
it is very gratifying for me to say that I drew the largest crowd 
that ever assembled in Madison Square Garden, and also that I am 
the only one man that has ever packed the place. During the six 



performances I gave in this Garden, my treasurer sold 57,330 tickets, 
ranging from 25 cts., 50 cts., 75 cts, to $1.00 each, giving me a net 
profit of $9,881.50 for one week's work, a record that no other horse 
trainer in the world can show, and one that astonished the entire 




Madison Square Garden. Sew York City, as it appeared on my o|»en> 

inn night. 



world. 



The following 



letters and notices from the leading ]\ r ew 



York papers, fully substantiates all I have said relative to my en- 
gagement at " Madison Square Garden." 



Professor O. K. Gleason's Grand Success at the Famous Madison 
Square Garden, New York City, February 24th, 1S87. 

New York, March 2d, 1887. 
Professor O. K. Gleason : 

Dear Sir and Friend. — It may be somewhat satisfactory to you to know 
that your exhibitions of training and subduing wild and vicious horses at 
the Madison Square Garden has attracted even larger audiences than the 
entire company of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. This statement is 
likely to be questioned by the incredulous, but the fact still remains that 
upon your opening night the great garden was packed to suffocation, and 
I personally called upon the police force to close the doors in the face of 




••Honest Tom," ray faithful Horse, who helped me to pack the Garden. 



— 71 — 

thousands of people who were frantically struggling for admission. Per- 
mit me to say that your phenomenal success and skill has excited the com- 
ment of such experienced showmen as Adam Forepaugh and P. T. Barnum, 
whose united shows could not possibly do more than you have done, i. e., 
pack the Madison Square Garden from center to circumference, and this, 
too, on several occasions in the face of a blinding snow storm. 

Very truly yours. LOUIS E. COOKE, 

Manager Forepaugh? s Circus. 



The World, N. Y. February _=>/, i88j. 

Will attempt to Tame a Wild Horse — Prof. Gleason's Big Under- 
taking — How he Cured a Biter and Runaway. 

The wonderful horsemanship displayed by Professor Oscar R. Gleason 
in Madison Square Garden was last night witnessed by an extraordinarily 
large crowd, notwithstanding the great storm. 



New York Daily News, Sunday, February 27, 1887. 

Of all the interesting sights in this city that of Prof. O. R. Gleason sub- 
duing vicious horses at Madison Square Garden comes in first. 



The Morning Journal, Friday, February 25, 1887. 

Vicious Brutes Subdued — Phenonenal Feats of Professor Glea- 
son, the Horse Tamer. 

"Phenomenal" was the unanimous verdict of the enthusiastic crowd 
that packed the Madison Square Garden last night. Long before the hour 
appointed for Professor Gleason's marvelous entertainment there was not 
one vacant seat in the immense building, and hundred of pleasure-seekers 
were turned away from the box-office disappointed. 



New York Daily News, February 25, 1887. 
Madison Square Garden. 

The announcement that Professor O. R. Gleason, the celebrated horse 
educator and subduer of vicious horses, would commence a week's ap- 
pearance at Madison Square Garden last evening, drew an audience that 
filled every available spot in the vast Garden, while at least a thousand 
persons were turned away. 4 



— 72 — 

The New York Times, Friday, February 25, 1887. 

Taming a "Demon." 

Professor O. R. Gleason, the horse tamer, had a full house last evening 1 
at the opening of his six nights' season in Madison Square Garden. The 
performance included the conquering of a number of stubborn and vicious 
horses, among them an animal from Goshen, where he is known as "De- 
mon," and has been regarded for years as an incorrigible kicker. In 
about ten minutes the professor had eliminated all that was demoniacal 
in the animal's nature. 

On closing my engagement here I opened in the city of Baltimore, 
Md., on the 8th day of March, 1887, at " Oratorio Hall." The 
following press notices will tell of my success while in Baltimore : 

The Sun, Baltimore, March 12, 1887. 

Taming Vicious Horses. — An Exhibition at Oratorio Hall. — In- 
structions about Handling Horses. 

Professor Oscar R. Gleason began Tuesday, at Oratorio Hall, his exhi- 
bitions of how to tame vicious horses. The centre of the hall was covered 
with tan and roped in. The rest of the building, up stairs and down, was 
jammed with spectators, many of whom were ladies. Mr. Gleason does 
not carry trained horses about with him. He finds his subjects wherever 
he exhibits, taming any horse that is sent to him for that purpose. The 
horses are taken to the hall during the day and kept in an improvised stall 
until the time for the beginning of the exhibition, when they are led out 

to the tanned space. 

Baltimore American, Wednesday, March 16, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason, the Horse Tamer. — A very large and intelligent 
audience witnessed Prof. O. R. Gleason's exhibition at Oratorio Hall last 
night. His first horse was quietly stubborn, but at last was docile, and 
was driven by the Professor through a crowd of men and boys beating 
drums, clanging tinpans, waving Mags and ringing bells. The celebrated 
stallion, Monticello, a bad bolter and plunger, created a great deal of 
laughter when the tin pans were tried. The Professor had a very narrow 
escape with one of the vicious animals, but with his presence of mind 
brought the brute to terms. These exhibitions are verv instructive. 



The Daily News, Baltimore, Wednesday, March 16, 

Prof. Gleason's Wonderful Achievements. — Prof. O. R. Gleason, 
the horse trainer, gave another of his wonderful exhibitions last night at 
Oratorio Hall to a verv large audience. 



-73- 

The Sunday Herald, Sunday, March ij, 1SS7. 

Horsemen and Horses. — There is some talk of starting a driving club 
in this city, to which all horse owners may belong, and have a chance of 
meeting and testing the speed of their road horses, and getting a compe- 
tent man to handle horses for speed and break colts properly. Prof. Glea- 
son, the horse breaker, has drawn large audiences all the week, and many 
have profited from his exhibitions. 

From here I went to "Washington, D. C, exhibiting in the East 
St. liink. Not being a seat or any accommodations for the people 
that might come to see me, I went to an expense of over $500 
to put it in order, and get it in shape for my opening night. I ex- 
hibited for two weeks, packing the rink every night. All the Mem- 
bers of Congress, United States Senators and Cabinet Officers, 
attended in a body. Of the work and success done here, the following 
press notices will speak of: 

National Republican, Washington^ D. C, Tuesday, March 22, 1887. 

Subduing Vicious Horses. — Prof. Gleason shows How Easy it is 
to Control Animals. — Prof. O. R. Gleason appeared at the National 
Skating Rink, on E street, between Sixth and Seventh, last evening, ready 
to tame such horses as should be offered for the occasion. Nearly every 
seat in the rink was taken at 8 o'clock, quite a number of ladies being 
present. 

The Evening Star, Washington, D. C, Tuesday, March 22, 188 j. 

Taming Wild Horses. — The large portion of the National Skating 
Rink was last night covered with a thick layer of sawdust and shavings. 
On three sides of the square the seats for the audience were placed, and not 
only were they packed with ladies and gentlemen, but all available stand- 
ing room was occupied. 



The National Republican, Saturday, March 2b, i88j. 

Conquering Unruly Horses. — The E Street Rink was filled in every 
corner last night with a very respectable audience, a large number of 
whom were ladies. 



The Washington Critic, Washington, I). C, March 22, j88j. 

Professor Gleason's Training. — The E Street Rink was crowded to 
its utmost capacity last night, in spite of the storm, to witness Prof. Glea- 
son's novel horse-training entertainment. 



— 74 — 

From Major A. O. Brummel. 

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C, April 9, 1887. 

This is to certify that I own a mare who has been justly termed "the 
star kicker of Prince George's county, Maryland." The person who 
attempted to harness her took his life in his hand, so dangerous and 
vicious was the animal that she would relieve herself of the harness. 
Hearing that Prof. Oscar R. Gleason, the celebrated horse tamer, was in 
Washington, I had the mare brought up from my farm in Maryland and 
took her to the professor. After one trial the mare was thoroughly sub- 
dued, and is now as docile as a lamb. I give this certificate to Prof. 
Gleason unasked, as a testimony to his skill and as a slight appreciation 
of the service rendered me in transforming a worthless animal into a 
valuable one, as the mare is now safe in any harness, fit even for a lady to 
drive with perfect safety. • MAJOR A. O. BRUMMEL. 



The National Republican, Thursday, March 24. 

Getting Horses Under Control. — Prof. O. R. Gleason gave another 
exhibition last night at the E Street Skating Rink, of his system of teach- 
ing the horse. 



The Washington Post, Washington, March 23, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason's Exhibition. — Another large crowd of ladies and 
gentlemen last night witnessed the exhibition of Prof. Gleason in break- 
ing in and educating horses. 



Washington Critic, Washington, March 23, 1887. 

Training Vicious Horses. — Another large audience greeted Professor 
Gleason last night at the E Street Rink. 



The Washington Post, Washington, March 27, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason's Exhibition. — Prof. O. R, Gleason, the king of horse 
tamers, has met with great success the past week at the E Street Skating 
Rink in handling vicious horses. The building has been packed nightly 
with the best people of Washington, including Senators Gorman, Riddle- 
berger and Mahone, the French Legation and many other prominent 
citizens. 

The Washington Post, Washington, March 24, 1887. 

Mr. Gregor, of the Russian Legation, Mr. Wallach, Calderon Carlisle 
and wife, Sevellon Brown and wife, and many other well-known Washing- 



-75- 

ton people, witnessed Prof. Gleason's "horse training" feats at the Rink 
Tuesday evening. 

Closing here, I left for the city of Buffalo, New York, my first 
visit after closing my engagement with Mr. Hamlin in the stock 
farm business, since which time I have made a number of valuable 
additions to my exhibition, in the way of improvement and as to what is 
the saftest and best plan to handle and subdue the vicious horse ; 
which fact was made so apparent to my many friends of Buffalo 
that, without my knowledge, and to my very great surprise, on the 
last and closing night of my engagement, and during my ten min- 
utes' intermission, I was called from my dressing room, and without 
warning, was presented with a solid gold badge, studded with rubies 
and diamonds, all of which is herein described in the following 
notice clipped from the Sunday Truth : 

Sunday Truth, Buffalo, X. Y. 

Professor Gleason. — He is Presented with a Beautiful Testi- 
monial by Mayor Becker, on behalf of his Buffalo Friends. 

During the past week Prof. Gleason's performances at the Main Street 
Rink have attracted large audiences, many of our prominent men becom- 
ing interested to such an extent in his wonderful handling of vicious 
horses, that they determined to present him with a testimonial of their 
admiration and esteem. Accordingly, Messrs. Ruger & Kimball were 
instructed to prepare an appropriate medal. It consists of a pin set with 
rubies and diamonds ; below the pin are two clasped hands, showing the 
cuff buttons, which are set with diamonds. Attached to the bar is a 
shield on which is represented the thirteen original states by thirteen stars, 
and a vicious horse in a rearing position. The pin weighs ninety penny- 
weights and cost $600. It is emblematical of America in every detail, 
and is a fitting tribute for the professor to carry with him on his European 
trip. It was presented during the customary ten minutes' intermission 
which Mr. Gleason takes in his exhibitions, by Mayor Becker, on behalf of 
his Buffalo friends. The mayor made the presentation in a few well- 
chosen words, and the professor, who was completely taken by surprise, 
recovered himself sufficiently to enable him to make a reply, which 
evidenced the gratitude and appreciation with which he accepted this un- 
expected testimonial. 

Buffalo Express, }\ r ednesday Morning, April ij, i88y. 

A Good Horsp:-Taming Exhibition. — Prof. Oscar R. Gleason, the 
horse tamer, on Monday evening gave a crowded audience at the Main 



76 




The above cut represent «* the Radg'e mentioned. 



-77- 

Street Exhibition Building, a scientific, practical and frequently very ex- 
citing exhibition in taming: and curins: horses of evil tricks. 



The Buffalo Times. 

Training Vicious Brutes. — Prof. Oscar Gleason, the noted horse 
trainer, entertained a large audience at the Main Street Exhibition Build- 
ing last evening. It was a fine exhibition of the power man has over animal 
strength, and the 2,000 spectators were apparently charmed with the mag- 
netic influence of Prof. Gleason. He will give another exhibition this 
evening. 

The Courier, Buffalo, Tuesday, April 12, i8Sj. 

Great Horse-Tamtnc,. — Prof. Gleason Shows How the Ugliest 
Animals May be Subdued. 

Fully 2,000 persons were present last evening at the Main Street Rink 
to witness the .first entertainment given by Prof. Oscar R. Gleason, the 
celebrated horse educator. 



The Courier, Buffalo, Friday, April 15, 1887. 

The Horse Educator. — Prof. Gleason has been very successful in his 
horse-educating exhibitions at the Main Street Rink. The assemblages 
have been large, and he has generously amused and instructed them. 
Prof. Gleason, the successful horse-breaker, was formerly one of us, and 
still takes a lively interest in matters Buffalonian — especially those of an 
equine character. 



Commercial Advertiser , Buffalo, Saturday Evening, April 16, i8Sj. 

Prof. O. R. Gleason, the celebrated horseman, will be presented with a 
diamond badge at the Main Street Rink this evening. It is expected that 
Mayor Becker will make the presentation speech. This testimonial is 
presented to the professor on behalf of his many friends in this city and 
elsewhere as a token of their appreciation of the greatest American horse- 
tamer. 

The Courier, Buffalo, Saturday, April 16, i88j. 

Prof. Gleason's horse-breaking exhibitions at the Main Street Rink have 
been decidedly successful. 

Buffalo Express, Saturday Mornings April 16, j88j. 

The Great Horse-Tamer. — Prof. O. R. Gleason, the horse-tamer, had 
a large and enthusiastic audience at the Main Street Rink last night. 



— 78 — 

The Sunday News, Buffalo, April 17, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason's Trophy. — Last evening closed a series of Prof. Glea- 
son's interesting horse-training exhibitions at the Main Street Rink, and 
was made the occasion for a farewell presentation by Mayor Becker, on 
behalf of the citizens, consisting of a magnificent solid gold badge repre- 
senting a shield with thirteen stars set in diamonds, the stripes in enamel 
and the whole surmounted with the figure of a horse in solid gold. The 
badge cost $600. In responding to this superb token of appreciation 
Prof. Gleason said, among other things, that he would devote one week 
annually for five years to give instructions in the proposed new riding 
academy, free. Buffalo, he said, was the greatest horse centre in the 
world and ought to be provided with a first-class riding academy. Prof. 
Gleason is about to leave for Europe, and promised to make a special trip 
back to this city whenever the academy is built, to attend the opening. 

From here I went to Wilkesbarre, Pa., and braved horseman from 
all the surrounding country in that region, as will be verified by the 
following notices : 

Telegram, Elmira, N. }'., April 24, i88j. 

Professor O. R. Gleason, Widely Known as the Great King of 

Horse Tamers. 

Pittston, Pa., April 23. — We have visited Prof. O. R. Gleason's exhibi- 
tion the past week at the county-seat, whose wonderful powers to control 
horses of the most vicious nature in a short time, completely breaking an 
intelligent one to be the most docile of beasts, it would simply be foolish 
for us to attempt to describe in detail. Hisexhibiton has to be seen to be 
appreciated, as pen cannot describe. He has been in the coal fields, at 
Scranton and Wilkesbarre for the past ten days, giving his farewell exhi- 
bition at Wilkesbarre, Friday evening, a three days' stand. The professor 
was only advertised April 21st and 22nd, but after such a phenomenal suc- 
cess in large audiences and giving such great satisfaction, by special re- 
quest gave the third exhibition, a farewell, at Wilkesbarre on Friday, and 
to one of the greatest audiences a horse educator ever drew in that city, 
several hundred people leaving that would not stand the crush of limited 
standing room. The professor will leave the coal fields by special train 
for Cincinnati. The professor has held $10,000 audiences at Madison 
Square, New York, and given special exhibitions to what is called the 
highest of the elite, the president, senators, etc., which has been appreci- 
ated in a manner worthy and due this wonderful horseman. We will close, 
for, as Ave said before, we cannot do the gentleman justice, and would 
advise all who can to go and see him. We admit we made two special 



— 79 — 

trips to see the professor perform while in Wilkesbarre, and we close 
wishing him the success he so richly deserves in his tour "around the 
world." Hoping he will return safe and sound and still more wealthy, as 
he has worked himself up from the " poverty rung " of the ladder to where 
he now is, and still higher may he go, is our most sincere wish. 

The Record, Wilkesbarre, Pa., April 21, 1887. 

Wonderful Training of Horses. 

A large audience assembled in Metropolitan Rink to witness Prof. Glea- 
son perform his wonderful feats in breaking horses. Seats were provided 
and many of these were occupied by ladies. Nearly every horseman in 
town was present. Prof. Gleason showed himself an adept at the difficult 
art and was frequently cheered to the echo. He conquered animals that 
were balky, kickers, halter pullers, and generally vicious, teaching them 
to be perfectly fearless of drums, flags, bells, fire-crackers, pistol, etc. 

The Evening Leader, Wilkesbarre, Pa., Thursday, April 21, 1887. 

Professor Gleason. — His Interesting Exhibition at the Metro- 
politan Rink Last Night. 

There was a large attendance at the Metropolitan Rink last evening, to 
witness Professor Gleason's exhibition, which proved a very interesting 
one. The professor's skill was pretty thoroughly tested, but in every in- 
stance he was equal to the emergency and established his mastery over 
the vicious and intractable beasts brought to him for subjection. 

The Record, Wilkesbarre, Pa., April 22, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason's Second Night. 

There was another very large audience at the Metropolitan Rink last 
evening to witness Prof. Gleason's second exhibit of horse breaking and 
training. The exhibition was even more interesting than on the first 
night, and the audience frequently manifested its appreciation of the pre- 
fessor's masterly handling of the rebellious horses by loud and long ap- 
plause. He is beyond doubt a complete and thorough master of his art.. 

The News- Dealer, Wilkesbarre Pa., Friday, April 22. 

Prof. Gleason's Great Show. 

The Metropolitan Rink was jammed last evening with people who came: 
to see Prof. Gleason's wonderful performances with vicious horses. 



— 80 



From Wilkesbarre I went to Scranton, Pa., exhibiting_on the 
'"Fair Ground'' to its utmost capacity, and from here I went to 




Exterior of Music Hall. Cincinnati. O. 



Cincinnati, giving a series of exhibitions in the beautiful and world- 
renowned " Music Hall,*' and many who came to my exhibition 




The interior of Music Hall as it was Pilot ogrraphecl on my Opening Sight. 



dropped the remark that it was a queer entertainment to be given 
in a place where Patti has warbled, and Campinini won laurels, 
where Beecher and Talmage have entranced audiences, yet, notwith- 



— 81 — 

standing, they all went away satisfied and pronounced it a great 
exhibition, a wonderful triumph of man over animal. 

Could Reuben Springer, the founder, rise up from his grave and 
come back and see Gleason's exhibition of horse-training in " Music 
Hall," he might think it odd, but he could not say it was not both 
instructive and entertaining. And here the reader is modestly re- 
ferred to the following clippings from the Enquier and Commercial 
Gazette. 

The Enquirer, Sunday, May i , iS8y. 

Remarkable Horse-Taming. — Some remarkable illustrations of the 
power of mind over brute force have been given by Prof. Oscar R. Glea- 
son at Music Hall during the week. He takes the most savage and 
powerful equine, and in a few minutes reduces him to lamb-like subjection. 
It is true that some of the horses take longer, but in the end the result is 
the same. For outward aids he uses a whip, a bridle of cord and a re- 
volver loaded with blank cartridge. By his system of treatment he quickly 
subdues the most vicious and stubborn animals, so that they manifest a 
docility and an aptitude for education which would be worthy of note in- 
horses of any class. Great interest in his methods has been awakened in. 
circles which give attention to riding and driving. Some of the instruc- 
tions contained in his lecture are invaluable to this class of persons. We 
can heartily recommend all who are in any way interested in horses — and. 
who is not ? — to attend these entertainments. They are both entertaining 
and instructive. 

The Commercial Gazette, Tuesday, April 26, 1887. 

Vicious Horses — Professor Gleason Brings Three of them under: 
His Control Last Night. 

The horse taming performance last night at Music Hall was' even more 
interesting and exciting than that of the previous evening, as Professor 
Gleason had more vicious and stubborn subjects to master, but he came 
out with flying colors, much to the delight of an audience of two thousand- 
people. 



The Commercial Gazette, Friday, May 6, i88j. 

The Horse Tamer — Prof. Gleason, after a Struggle, Masters a 

Vicious Grey. 

There was a large attendance at Music Hall. The audience were helcT 
spell-bound for some time, but finally gave vent to demonstrations of ap- 



— 82 — 

plause when the Professor succeeded in bringing the horse to follow his 
bidding. 

And here I close my labors in Cincinnati, 0. 

During my engagement at Music Hall, I had the pleasure of pay- 
ing the last of my accumulated and complicated old debts to the 
last dollar, amounting to the grand total of $4,000. And from here 
I started for St Louis on a tour through Missouri. Of my success 
while in St. Louis the reader can form some idea upon reading the 
following clipping from the Sunday Sayings of May 15th, 1887. I 
might make use of many more from the leading papers of this city, 
but for want of space I omit them :. 

St. Louis Sunday Sayings, May 75, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason, the horse-tamer, has decided to remain another week at 
the Olympic Theatre. His performances have been well patronized dur- 
ing the past week. They are interesting and instructive. The professor, 
in his business, is undoubtedly a great man. 

My next stop was in Kansas City, where I remained for one week, 
and the Times speaks of my visit there as follows : 

The Times, Tuesday, May 24, 1887. 

Amusements. — Prof. Oscar Gleason, the horse-tamer, gave a wonderful 
exhibition of his skill at the Gillis last night. The stage had been trans- 
formed into a huge stable and sprinkled with sawdust for the purpose of 
the experiments. The auditorium was filled with curious spectators. 

From Kansas city I went to Peoria, 111., and through all the lead- 
ing towns in Indiana, arriving in Columbus, Ohio, June 20th, 
1887. After remaining here one week, doing a successful business, 
I then left for Saratoga Springs, to enjoy a few weeks of much needed 
rest, and handled the famous man-eating stallion " Wilson," who had 
an undisputed record of having killed four men. He was led into 
the ring with his bridle that he had worn constantly for over three 
years, night and day, never removing it for eating or anything else, 
also an iron muzzle weighing over three pounds. Some of the most 
cranky and wise ones in my audience at that time dropped a remark 
which reached my ears, that they guessed " he was not so bad after 



— 83 — 

all; it was mostly put on," &c, whereupon I then and there offered 
$50 to any man in my audience who would take the muzzle and 
bridle off of this horse. In the offer I made, I included every man, 
barring none, not even his owner. And here I refer my readers to a 
clipping from the daily Saratogian of August 12th, 1887. 




As this famous Horse appeared in the street the following day, beingr 
driven by his Owner. ( From a photograph.) 

The Daily Saratogian, Friday, August 12, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason's Entertainment. — Subduing Vicious Horses in the 
Presence of a Thousand Spectators. — The Ballston Man- 
Killer Reduced. 

An immense audience assembled last night in the riding- academy or 
Casino, on Spring street, to witness Prof. O. R. Gleason's exhibition. 



I remained in Saratoga until Sept. 1st, and with health improved 
sufficiently to warrant it, I made contracts and filled engagements 



— 84 — 

throughout the fall in the following States, at " Agricultural Fairs :" 
Penna., New Jersey and Conn. At the close of all which, I went 
to Providence, II. L, and opened there on Nov. 2d, 1887. The fol- 
lowing, from the Providence Evening Telegram, 01 Thursday, Nov. 
3d, will tell the reader what the people think of my work here : 

Evening- Telegram, Provide/ice, Thursday, November 3, 

Horse Education — Prof. Gleason's Exhibition at the Riding 

School. 

Prof. Oscar R. Gleason came to Providence well-known to horsemen. 
His wonderful successes in the large cities of the country in subduing 
vicious animals, breaking young or old horses, or curing them of disagree- 
able traits has reached Providence. Itwas then no surprise that the rid- 
ing school should have held a large number of spectators last evening at 
his opening performance, and among that number were many ladies. 

Prof. Gleason's method seems to be a sensible one, and after giving the 
theory he demonstrates the practice. Knowing the traits of horses, and 
he gives them credit for being almost human, he treats them with that 
same judgment which would be used by a father to his child. He shows 
the horse that he is his master ; that he is a loving master ; that he is a 
master to be feared. Whenever the horse does wrong he receives instant 
punishment, not brutal, but effectual. When he does right he is rewarded. 

Prom Providence I went to Worcester, Mass., where I exhibited 
for one week to the capacity of the house. The reader will remem- 
ber on looking back to the commencement of my career as a horse 
trainer, that the first horse I ever trained as a trick horse, and to 
drive without lines, was a buckskin mare, with whom I had such a 
sorrowful parting at the time my father and I parted after dissolving 
our co-partnership, he taking all the stock with him to Vermont. 
Well, on my arrival in Worcester, I was relating to some by-standers 
the many things I had taught her to do, and on describing the mare 
so perfectly, a gentleman standing by said he knew of a buckskin 
mare that was owned by a physician about fifteen miles away, that 
was the counterpart of the one I was talking about. Although I 
thought it not at all probable, yet I deemed it perhaps possible, it 
might be my Topsy of the " days of long ago." Whereupon I tele- 
phoned to the doctor if he would bring the mare to my exhibition 
(it being the last of my series at this time), 1 would give him "fif- 
teen dollars," which he consented to do. I will here make the con- 



— 85 — 

fession that I was as anxious to see and have it verified, if possible, 
the actual strength of a horse's memory, there being a lapse of about 
eleven years since I had laid my eyes on the mare. The doctor came, 
arriving in Worcester at 5 o'clock P. M., but I would not go near the 
mare then; would only see her in the presence of my audience, and 
then and there before them all, make the test, as the following clip- 
ping from the Worcester Telegram will attest : 




As Topsy appeared in the ring on this memorable night. 



The Worcester Telegram, Sunday, November 20, 1887. 

A Horse's Memory. — Tricks Performed which Were Learned 
Eleven Years Ago. 

Professor O. R. Gleason gave his final exhibition in horse training at 
the Rink last night. Several bad animals were brought in to have their 
various faults corrected. The professor put them through a similar 
course of treatment as that of other evenings, and they became docile. 
He then gave an exhibition of driving his trained horse, " Ham," without 
bridle or reins, simply using the whip as a guide. The animal's obedience 
showed his trainer's skill, and called forth much applause from the spec- 



— 86 — 

tators. A buckskin mare, owned by Dr. W. E. Kelsey, of Princeton, was 
then brought in. This animal, the trainer said, was the first he had ever 
trained. She had been exhibited by him in Philadelphia and Baltimore. 
Eleven years ago he sold her in Jamaica, Vt. From there she had been 
sold to different owners, having been used for over a year on the horse 
cars in this city, and finally coming into the possession of her present 
owner. When she first came onto the track Prof. Gleason called her 
to come to him, but she responded by running in the opposite direction. 
He then put a rope on her, and she seemed suddenly to remember her old 
master and trainer. The rope was removed and she went through all 
sorts of tricks, laughing, dancing, pawing and many others. She was then 
hitched up without a bridle and driven as the black horse had been. 
Professor Gleason made her stop, paw, snort and rear, as if balking, and 
then, at the motion of his whip, start on again. Dr. Kelsey, the owner, 
was present and said that he had never known that the mare could per- 
form any of these tricks. 

From Worcester, Mass., I went to Washington, D. C, filling my 
second engagement of two Aveeks duration, during which time I 
handled the celebrated man-eating stallion, known as the "Nelson 
Horse," from Virginia, weighing 2,200 pounds, then the most vicious 
brute that was ever handled in that city, fighting me desperately for 
about one and one-half hours. On this occasion over 2,000 people 
were turned away, not being standing room. 

The following press notices will give the reader some idea of the 
flattering compliments I received at the hands of my many admirers 
on this my second visit : 

The Washington Post, Washington, December S. 

A Vicious Horse Subdued.— The E Street Rink was packed last eve- 
ning to see Professor Gleason handle the mammoth biting stallon "Gali- 
poli," from Pennsylvania, weighing over a ton and standing eighteen 
hands high. The Professor in a very short time had him under control, 
and put his arm in his mouth, giving him all the chance possible to bite 
him, but the stallion thought that discretion was the better part of valor, 
and behaved like a pet dog. 

The National Republican, Thursday, December S. 

Prof. Gleason Tames "Galipoli." 

E Street Rink was packed to its utmost capacity last evening, to witness 
the daring feats of Prof. Gleason with vicious horses, and to see him handle 



-87- 

the mammoth biting stallion Galipoli, who weighs over a ton and stands 
eighteen hands high, and is one of the largest horses in this country. The 
professor in a very short time had him under control. The audience was 
made up largely of ladies and members of Congress and the elite of the 
city. 

The National Republican, Friday, December 16. 

Prof. Gleason's Appearance. 

Prof. O. R. Gleason, the king of horse tamers, who has been giving ex- 
hibitions for the past two weeks at the E Street Kink, gives his farewell 
engagement to-night. The man-eater from Yirgina was put under perfect 
control, and for the first time was harnessed to a wagon. Among the 
noted people present last night, were Senator Edmunds and family, who 
commended the professor highly for his marvelous methods of handling 
the dumb brutes. 

And here I refer the reader to the following, which tells its own 
story : 

50TH Congress, 1st Session. H. R. 4383. 

In the House of Representatives, January 10, i88cS. 

Read twice, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered 
to be printed. 

Mr. Wise introduced the following bill : 

A Bill To request Professor O. R. Gleason to write a book embracing 
his entire system of "Training and Educating Horses, the Science of 
Horseshoeing," and so forth. That Congress purchase and publish said 
book for the Government use and improvement of the military service, 
United States Army. 

From Washington, D. C, I went direct to Pittsburg, Pa., where 
awaited my coining a large number of the most vicious horses in the 
county, it being the occasion of my third visit to that city. The 
following clippings from the press will give the reader a clear 
idea of the high esteem in which my friends in Pittsburg held me: 

The Pittsburg Times, Monday, January 2, 1888. 

Prof. Gleason's Exhibition. — Prof. O. R. Gleason's horse-training 
exhibition will be continued for six nights longer on account of the im- 
mense success the past week. 



— 88 — 

The Dispatch, Pittsburgh, Tuesday, December 27, i88j. 

Holding Up Horses.— And Robbing Them of Their Persistently 
Ferocious Propensities. 

Pure and original horse sense was exhibited last night on the occasion 
of Prof. O. R. Gleason's exhibition of the subduing of several very vicious 
and runaway horses. 

The Pittsburg Times, Tuesday, December 27, 1887. 

Prof, Gleason Catches a Crowd.— A very large and enthusiastic 
audience packed the Grand Central Rink last night to witness Prof. O. R. 
Gleason, the king of horse-tamers, in his marvelous methods of handling 
vicious horses. 

The Chronicle Telegraph, December 27, i88j. 

Prof. O. R. Gleason subdues the fiery untamed steed at the Grand Cen- 
tral Rink in a most fearless mariner. 



The Pittsburgh Times, Wednesday, December 28, 1887. 

Prof. Gleason's Work. — Last night the placard " Standing Room 
Only" was placed in front of the door at the Grand Central Rink, where 
Prof. O. R. Gleason is giving exhibitions nightly. 



The Post, Wednesday •, December 28, 1887. 

The Horse Show Crowded. — There was standing room only at Prof. 
'Gleason's horse show in the Grand Central Rink last night. 



The Dispatch. 

Prof. Gleason's wonderful control over equine viciousness was exempli- 
fied at the Central Rink last night before an admiring crowd. The pro- 
fessor is certainly a wonder in his way. 



The Chronicle Telegraph, December 28, 1887. 

To-night Prof. Gleason will handle a number of fractious horses. Last 
night it was standing room only at the Rink. The exhibition brought 
forth applause. 

And during my engagement here, I heard of a very vicious stallion, 
Jaiown throughout the whole country as " Hollingsworth's Dyna- 



— 89 — 

mite." Herewith I append a copy of Mr. Hollingsworth's letter 
which reads as follows : 



Prof. O. R. Gleason. 



(Copy.) 

Hagerstown, Md., January 5th, 1888. 



Dear Sir — Your letter just received in answer to the one I wrote yon 
about my dynamite horse, for he comes to the front in being one of the 
most sly and biting of anything in this country. I am sorry you are so far 
off to get this horse to you, but nevertheless, I shall secure plenty of help 
and ropes, and by getting in the hay mow will carry out your idea stated 
in your letter how to handle him to get him to the depot. And right at 
this point let me say, for God's sake be on the watch, for I have not fully- 
recovered from my wounds. Professor, if you can handle this horse, to> 
make him quiet, you are something more than a man of ordinary ability. 
I can say nothing, await for general results, and may God grant you may 
handle and break him as you stated, without getting wounded or killed. 
I have tried to tell you how bad he is, but I cannot, for he is the devil with 
man's life. 

Very truly, G. R. HOLLINGSWORTHL 

And on handling the above named vicious horse, he drew 3,600 
people to see my exhibition. The following notices will convey to 
the mind of the reader very clearly and with interest the methods I 
used in rendering him as gentle as Mary's historical little lamb : 

Commercial Gazette, Tuesday, January 10, 1888. 

A Great Struggle. — Prof. Gleason Conquers the Savage Stallion — The 
Exciting Contest Witnessed by an Immense Crowd. 

HOW THE ACT WAS AccoMPLISHhD. 

The Grand Central Rink was packed last night with an excited mass of 
humanity. The big stage was jammed full, hundreds having come from 
adjoining towns, and in the rear of the hall people stood on chairs, boxes 
and barrels, or adopted almost any reasonable device to get an unobstruct- 
ed view, the cause being a general desire to see how Prof. Gleason would 
go through the ordeal of handling and subduing a stallion which had 
killed three men. The first part of the performance moved along in much 
the usual strain, and it was not until after the intermission that the stallion 
was brought in. His entrance created a decided sensation and he seemed 
conscious of the fact and bore himself accordingly. He was muzzled and 
held on either side by a long rope in the hands of an attendant. The 
animal is valued at #2,000 and is certainly a beauty to look at. He is a 



90 



sorrel with as handsome a mane and tail as is often seen, and is speedy, 
having a record of 2:30. The performance was a success. 



The Post. 

A Four-footed Cannibal — Gleaso.vs Attempt to Subjugate the Animal 

last night successful after some difficulty — central rlnk ■ 

Packed to Suffocation. 

The announcement that Professor Oscar R. Gleason would handle the 
famous Hollingsworth man-eating stallion at his horse show last night 
drew out a crowd several thousand larger than the hall would hold. 

Mr. G. R. Hollingsworth, owner of the stallion, expressed himself more 
than satisfied with the result of the first lesson. The horse had certainly 
learned that he had a master. 




From Pittsburg, Pa., I went to Wheeling, West Va., arriving Jan. 
14th, 1888. The following clippings will tell the readers of my suc- 
cess while exhibiting in this city : 



— 91 — 

Wheeling News-Letter, January 75, /888. 

Wild Horses Subdued by Prof. Gleason before an Immenre Audience. 

Two intractable mustangs handled and conquered after protracted strug- 
gles. Hoffman's wild horses taught a lesson. 

That Professor Gleason's show is going to prove one of the best paying 
attractions of the season, it is only necessary to state that by 8 o'clock last 
night every seat in the Capitol Rink was taken. 

From here I left for Detroit, Mich., where I opened a series of ex- 
hibitions at Princess Kink, giving nightly exhibitions for twenty-four 
consecutive nights, to the full capacity of the rink. For my success 
I modestly refer the reader to the following notices : 

The Free Press, Tuesday Morning, January 24. 

A Horse Mesmerizer. 

Prof. Gleason witches the rink with noble horsemanship. A wonderful 
exhibition of the power of mind over force. 

Altogether about 1,000 persons were present, including leading horse- 
men and horseowners of the city. Secretary Steiner, of the American 
Trotting Association, was a delighted spectator. A number of members 
of the Humane Society also looked on, and altogether it was an assemblage 
that any entertainer would have been proud to face. 



Detroit Tribune, Tuesday, January 2+, 1888. 

Taming Vicious Brutes — A Novel Show at the Princess Rink — Several 
Equines taught How to Behave — Prof. Gleason's School. 

" What a magnificent specimen of manhood ! " was heard on all sides 
last evening when, shortly after 8 o'clock, Professor Gleason strolled leis- 
urely upon the sawdust at the Princess Rink, drawing a long buggy whip 
carelessly through his left hand. He is very tall and has not an ounce of 
superfluous flesh on his entire frame. Handing his broad-brim white felt 
hat to one of his three assistants he exposed a countenance that is both 
handsome and intellectual. His forehead is high and broad, and a long 
light-colored mustache almost conceals a mouth that is remarkable for 
lines of firmness. He looks every inch the man born to command. He 
was attired in the high top boots, light knee breeches and loose blouse 
waist customary with horsemen. 

At the close of the entertainment last evening Prof. Gleason was kept 
busy supplying purchasers with his safety bits and other original devices 



— 92 — 

for successful horse training. He also sells a book which embodies his 
original ideas upon the subject. 



Evening Journal, Detroit, Tuesday, January 24, 1888. 

Fracti jus Nags — Prof. Gleason Gives a Wonderful Entertainment at 
the Princess Rink. 

The seats in the Princess Rink last night were lined with a thousand 
spectators, including women scattered here and there. 

Mr. Gleason showed how to stop runaway horses, how to get into a 
wagon without allowing the horse to start until he gets the word ; and how 
to make them stop with the word of command. He uses no whip except 
to crack it over them. 

The spectators went away entirely gratified with the wonderful exhibi- 
tion, which continues all the week. One of the horses tamed last night 
belongs to Joseph A. Marsh, of the park commission. 



The Free Press, Detroit, Friday Morning, February 3. 

The Monarch of Horses — Prof. Gleason Turning People Away at the 

Princess Rink. 

There is no doubt that if Prof. Gleason continued his instructive and 
deeply interesting exhibitions for a month to come, the Princess Rink 
would be filled nightly with delighted and astonished spectators. Added 
to the novelty of the entertainments is the fact that they serve as one of 
the best possible schools, not alone for the training and taming of ungov- 
ernable horses, but also for the education of people who, through neces- 
sity or inclination, have the handling of the noblest of animals. Last 
evening's entertainment was simply a repetition of former successes, and 
additional proof that Prof. Gleason is the monarch of horse educators. 



The Sunday News, Detroit, February 12, 1888. 

Prof. Gleason as a Horse Tamer. — Professor Gleason has caught 
on, and it looks as though he was going to make his exhibitions a perma- 
nent thing at Detroit. 

At the close of my exhibitions here in this city, I was made the 
recipient of a beautiful diamond stud, valued at $200, from the 
horse men of the city, and refer the readers to the following notices 
which will tell the whole story : 



— 93 — 

The Free Press, Sunday, February 5, 1888. 

A Gift to Gleason. — The Horse Trainer Given a Diamond Stud by His 
Admirers. 

T11 spite of the frightful weather of last evening, Prof. O. R. Gleason's 
wonderful exhibition of horse taming drew almost as large a crowd as on 
any night of the two weeks since he came to the city, and his tests must 
have convinced, even those who saw him for the first time, that in the 
peculiar and important field which he occupies he has no equal. 



Detroit Tribune, February 5 \ 1888. 
They Like Gleason. — Citizens of Detroit Give Him a Diamond Stud.. 

In spite of the heavy snow storm a very large audience gathered at the 
Princess Rink last evening to witness what was supposed to be the closing" 
exhibition of Prof. Gleason, the celebrated horse tamer. The professor 
announced, however, that in view of his remarkable success he had can- 
celed his dates in Toledo and would remain here until the middle of this 
week. He has already received all the entries that he can use for the 
remaining exhibitions, breaking the vicious and unmanageable horses 
two at a time. Among the eight selected for Monday night are a balker 
afraid of everything, a halter-puller and balker, a shyer afraid of a band 
of music, a horse afraid of a buffalo robe, and two bad kickers. 

After the first part of the entertainment last evening lawyer James H. 
Pound walked into the ring and announced that he had been delegated 
by a committee of citizens to present Prof. Gleason with an elegant dia- 
mond stud as a mark of their admiration for him as a horse trainer and 
their esteem on account of the good which he has done in this city by way 
of showing how dumb animals should be humanely used and cared for. 
Mr. Pound also alluded to the bill now before Congress to create the office 
of Instructor General in the cavalry service for Prof. Gleason and said he 
hoped it would become a law. He closed by presenting the stud, which 
cost $300 and was purchased from Wright, Kay & Co. 

Prof. Gleason made a suitable response. He said he valued this gift 
the more highly because on the occasion of his previous visit to Detroit 
in 1881, he did a very poor business and attracted little attention. He 
could account for this only on the ground that he had made great strides 
in his profession since then, and had become a much more expert and 
celebrated horse trainer. 



Detroit, February 16, 1888. 

We, the undersigned, having been constant visitors to Prof. Gleason's 
exhibitions of training and subduing vicious horses, consider he has no- 



— 94 — 



equal, he having never failed to subdue the most vicious horses brought 
to him. He has been the most successful trainer that has ever visited our 
city. 



John Vhay, Agt. Humane Society, 
Wm. Hanna, 
J. L. McCarthy, 
Fred. Watson, 
Homer McGraw, 

B. R. Hoyt, M. D., 
Conrad Clippert, 
Chas. E. Goux, 

O. W. DeLano, 
H. B. Scott, 
Chas. Roep, 
J. F. Duning, 

C. Ed. Richmond, 
George N. Sponenburgh, 
H. B. Anthony, 

M. J. Dunn, 
Jos. R. Brown, 
M. C. Murphy, 
Geo. W. Prue, 
Ed. Reynolds, 
Ed. Tueton, 
•Geo. Fitzsimmons, 
C. L. Hamilton, 
John J. Schulte, 
George Holmes, 
P. D. Gleeson, 
John Mahoney, 
Theo. Boston, 
Major. T. Mahoney, 
C D. Henderson, 
Peter Brown, 
A. H. Rickets, 
C. D. Coon, 
Kirbv & Law! or. 



H. B. Larrazzi, 

E. E. Bidleman, 

F. A. Drexel, 

A. Hollenback, South Lynn, Mass. 

James Holihan & Son, 

John Varson, Detroit. 

W. H. Winters, 77 Pine st. 

Geo. N. Farrell, 

J. M. Jones, 497 6th st. 

I. E. Mayhim, N 

A. T. Danielson, 

Fredk. H. Killick, reporter " Toronto 

News, ' ' 
A. E. Chantler, 
Wm. A. Wilson, 
W. D. Midgby, 
T. S. Mead, 
C. F. Koch, 
Wm. Weaver, 
James Ryan, 
Mr. P. Brady, 
Martin Brennan, 
John A. Lewis, 
T. L. Coonley, 
Jno. E. Gallagher, 
N. Gallagher, 
Jos. C. Gallagher, 
J. Murphy, 
Geo. M. Grisner, 
Chas. Schmitt, 
Chris. J. Berg, 
Warren Smith, 
E. J. Vanstons, 
James M. Brown. 



From here I went to Saginaw, Mich., where I exhibited for one 
week, doing a great business. The following letter from Michigan's 
oldest horse trainer will, perhaps, interest my reader : 



95 — 



Prof. O. R. Gleason 



Dear Sir : — Allow me to congratulate you upon the splendid entertain- 
ments you have given us during the past two weeks. Your agent called 
into my place of business, advertising your exhibition, and I entered into 
a controversy with him in relation to your method of handling wild and 
vicious horses, and to say that I was full and running over with prejudice 
toward you would be putting it very mild. I offered to wager any sum of 
money that your system would do for an entertainment, but that it must 
prove a failure for every day work. I attended your exhibition at the 
Park Rink the first night, with the same feelings. That evening, you will 
remember, you were disappointed by parties who promised to bring 
vicious horses, and you appeared at a great disadvantage. I then saw a 
small hole through my argument. When I again attended the exhibition 
you were called upon to handle some bad kickers and vicious horses, and 
I then realized your power and the practicability of your methods. Right 
here I wish to acknowledge myself wrong, and wish to say farther that. I have 
seen horse-trainers perform for the past twenty years and have taken a 
lively interest in all methods, advanced, but am compelled to say that, in 
my opinion, they all pale into nothingness when compared to the only 
Gleason. 

T remain, sir, your friend and admirer, 

H. C. SHEPARD, 

Driver of trotting horses for the past twenty years. 

Saginaw \ Mich., March 2, rSSS. 

From here I went to Chicago, opening in " Battery D" Friday, 
April 9th, 1888. I remained here giving exhibitions for four weeks, 
giving nightly entertainments to the full capacity of this mammoth 
building. I herewith append some press notices which will tell you 
of the success attending my second visit to Chicago : 

The Morning News, Wednesday, March 14, 188S. 

Gleason Tames a Tartar — He wins his Bet, with 17 Minutes to Spare, 
and Gives it to the Newsbovs. 

Professor O. R. Gleason entertained upwards of one thousand spectators 
last evening in Battery D with his methods of taming wild and vicious 
horses. The entertainment was decidedly the best of his series thus far, 
from the fact that all the horses handled were indeed vicious and needed 
just such handling as the professor gave them. 

The feature of the evening, however, was in handling a large dark-brown 
mare by the professor on a wager of $50. The animal had not been bri- 



— 96 — 

died for three months, could kick a gnat's eye out at a distance of ioo 
yards, and was otherwise known as a bad and vicious animal. The wager 
was that the professor could not bridle, harness and drive the animal in 
less than twenty-five minutes. He commenced his task at 10.07 sharp, and 
at 10.15^ the handsome animal was hitched to a buggy and was spinning 
around the ring in a style becoming to an old-time circus horse. In the 
space of 8)4 minutes Professor Gleason had bridled the animal, tied tin 
cans to her tail, poked her in the flanks with a stick, initiated her into all 
the tricks in modern horse taming, and won $50, while the audience yelled 
itself hoarse. At the conclusion of this feat the professor said : 

" You have seen me effectually break this animal of hardness to bridle, 
bad kicking, shying and other vicious habits, in less time than the same 
feat has ever before been done, even by myself. I now present the $50 
I have fairly won to the Newsboys' Home, as I do not make my living 
by gambling, having only accepted this wager to show the gentleman 
that I understand my business better than he does." 



The Tribune, Thursday, March 15, 1888. 

Fun at the Horse Show — A Mustang makes it Lively. 

There was the usual large attendance last night at Battery D to see Prof. 
O. R. Gleason, the " horse educator," subdue and handle unruly horses. 
He did his work well, as usual, and received much applause. There is no 
doubt that the professor is an accomplished horseman. 

The Chicago Herald, Tuesday, March 15, 1888. 

He Tames them all — Prof. Glfason's Experience with Leroy Paine's 
Horse — Other Feats. 

Leroy Paine took a handsome bay horse, that is a bad halter puller and 
shyer, down to Professor Gleason, at Battery D, last night. It required 
only a five minutes' application of the professor's "fore and aft" halter 
contrivance to satisfy the horse that halter pulling was neither graceful 
nor proper. The horse was then hitched up with a dashing little black and 
driven around the "salvation band" and, through a hissing shower of 
steam. They kicked and reared when they first saw the steam, but the 
second time they started for it they went right through, and the third time 
they stood under it as if they liked to feel its warming influence on their 
glistening sides and backs. They also remained perfectly still while flags 
were waved before their eyes, paper tossed in showers around their heads 
and guns fired behind their ears. The little black had a bob tail, which 
the professor did not admire. He said a horse's tail was intended to be a 
protection to his body, and he thought that a man who would cut it off 



— 97 — 

ought to be sent to the penitentiary for seven years. His speech was 
warmly applauded. 



The Inter-Ocean^ Chicago, Wednesday, March /./, 1887. 

Educating Horses. — The interesting exhibitions given at Battery D 
nightly by Professor Gleason. 

Professor Gleason, the horse-educator, as he very properly styles him- 
self, is having capital patronage of his highly interesting exhibitions at 
Battery D. So thoroughly artistic and free from cruelty is his handling of 
horses, even the most fractious and vicious, the entertainment is not less 
fit for the enjoyment of ladies than for that of men, and the balconies have 
their nightly quota of the fair sex applauding the skill of the professor, or 
laughing at the antics of animals that stubbornly resist control. 

On March 22d, 1888, The Chicago Horseman gave the following 
notice of my success, and the methods used in my profession of hand- 
ling the vicious horse: 

Prof. O. R. Gleason. — His lecture last week before the Chicago Vet- 
erinary College, of which Prof. Baker is president, was listened to with 
great attention, and at its close a vote of thanks was passed and three 
rousing cheers was given in his honor. 

On the subject of practical horseshoeing the professor is very enthusias- 
tic, rightly claiming that more horses are injured from ignorant and in- 
competent shoers than from any other cause, and believes that every 
shoer, besides serving an apprenticeship, should pass an examination as 
in other professions, before he is allowed to practice ; rightly claiming 
that with the passage of such a law the frequency with which lame horses 
are seen on our streets would soon disappear. The methods employed 
by Prof. Gleason in subduing the vicious animals and converting them 
into docile and valuable servants, are humane, consistent with safety to 
the life and limb to the person handling the animal. 

We notice by the daily papers that a bill was introduced in the Senate 
by Senator Hampton for the purchasing and publishing of a book on the 
great art of training and educating the horse, said book to be published by 
Prof. O. R. Gleason; also the employment of the said Prof. Gleason by 
the government to teach and lecture on his system of training and edu- 
cating, the science of horseshoeing and how to purchase horses for the 
government service. This bill was referred to the Military Committee, 
and we understand has the hearty support not only of its members, but 
of the majority of the Senate and House, the greater number of which 
bodies have had the pleasure of attending Prof. Gleason's exhibitions and 



— 98 — 

witnessing his successful attempts in subjugating the most vicious and 
heretofore untamable animals brought before him. That such an office is 
needed, there is no question, and we know of no man in the country so 
well qualified, by reason of his great experience and success, as Prof. O. 
R. Gleason. 

To give our readers some idea of the vast amount of work he has done 
the past year, we will state that during the past twelve months he has 
broken, hitched and driven over 1,700 horses. 

The inventions and methods, the results of long years of experience and 
careful study, and found to be the most practical, are shown to thousands 
of people nightly, and the professor is always willing to show and explain 
everything connected with his art that is not thoroughly understood, 
claiming that a man that would withhold information that will relieve a 
suffering animal is as brutish as he is mercenary. 

The entertainments he has furnished for the last two weeks at Battery 
D, in this city, have been very largely attended, and we noticed many of 
our best citizens in the reserved balconies, and as some particularly vicious 
animal was brought into the arena, and after passing through the master's 
hands, trotted around the ring like a well-behaved family animal, rounds 
of applause greeted the lecturer. 

In private life Prof. Gleason is of a genial and unassuming nature, char- 
itable to a fault, having given away during his tour large sums of money, 
and often devoting his entire evening's receipts to the Society for the Pre- 
vention of Cruely to Animals, the Newsboys' Home, and other deserving 
public charities ; easily approached, with a kind word to all he comes in 
contact with. 

From Chicago, 111., I went through the State of Wisconsin, and 
made my next stand at Milwaukee, where I did a very nice business, 
making very many friends amongst the horsemen and all lovers of 
the noble animal, and prolonged my stay here for two weeks, doing 
a successful business. 

From Milwaukee, Wis., I made my second visit to St. Louis, Mo., 
when I exhibited in the great Exposition Building, whose seating 
capacity is 6,300, and packing the building to its utmost capacity 
every night for one week. 

During my engagement here I met with some more cranks in my 
audience, which stripe of mankind can always he found where large 
audiences assemble, who had the gall to assert that my great success 
in overcoming my horses lay in the secret of my choosing enclosures, 
such as Music Hall or the Exposition Building, in which to perform 
the work, and that I would meet with more trouble if I should at- 



— 99 — 

tempt to do the work in the open air, etc. I thereupon made the 
announcement from the stage, that I would give an exhibition in the 
amphitheatre adjoining the Zoological Gardens, whose seating capacity- 
is 50,000 people, as all of my readers who are conversant with it will 
readily attest. On the following Sunday afternoon, and with no other 
advertisement save the announcement made from the stage, my 
treasurer sold 7,400 tickets, and here I handled ten very vicious 
horses with complete success, having better facilities for so doing on 
account of having better foothold, etc.; and right here let me make 
this statement, that all tilings being favorable, it would always be my 
choice to give my exhibitions in the open air, as I consider in such, 
cases the lessons 1 impart to the horse are much more effectual. 




Exterior of the beautiful Music Hall. St. Louis, 3fo., where I exhibited 

for one week. 



From here I made a trip up the Mississippi River, taking in all 
the towns of any note on either bank, and leaving the river at 
Quincy, Illinois. From the last named place I went to St. Paul, 
Minn., arriving there and opened my exhibition in the " St. Paul 
Roller Rink,"' May 7th, 1888, and met with a grand surprise in see- 
ing the rink packed to standing room only, and continued my exhi- 
bitions, showing every night, Sundays excepted, lor four weeks, with 
very fluttering results. On closing my engagement here I went 
to Minneapolis, where I gave exhibitions for four weeks, and meeting 
the same satisfactory encouragement as I had received in St. Paul. 
After closing my engagement at Minneapolis, I " folded my tent," 



— 100 — 

like the Arabs, and went quietly away and took my departure for the 
East, arriving in Philadelphia, taking in the great " Penna. State 
Fair," where I exhibited for one week under the management of the 
"Agricultural Association." I then filled engagements at "Agricul- 
tural Fairs" throughout the States of Pennsylvania and Massachu- 
setts. After doing these fairs, I concluded from the many protesta- 
tions of my friends who were interceding so strong for me to again 




The above engraving is a correct picture of Bob Knox, a celebrated 

vicious pacer, which I purchased while exhibiting in this city 

for $150, and have since refused $3,000 for him. 



visit Philadelphia that perhaps I might do a fair business, and finally 
consented to do so and met with the greatest cordiality and support, 
and which is second to no place where I have ever exhibited, with 
perhaps the exception of New York City. In Philadelphia I will 
here state that I was surprised to see the number of vicious horses 
that were brought in for me to handle. Positively so many that it 
was impossible to treat them during my evening entertainments, that 



— 101 — 

I was obliged to give them private lessons in the afternoon of each 
day. At the close of my three weeks' engagement, my friends 
hovered around me and were determined I should make my own 
selection of a situation on some favorable location in the city, where 
I could make my permanent headquarters, and they would arrange the 
rest. But not desiring that my friends should assume any responsibili- 
ties in my behalf, I waived the project for the time being, to take up 
and consider again in perhaps the near future. And here in " Indus- 
trial Hall," situated on North Broad street, where I had met and 
conquered so many wild and vicious horses, and made so many warm 
friends, on my closing night they gave a benefit filling the hall to 
standing room only, and many were turned away, not having accom- 
modations for them. 

Before closing my work on the horse, I will append a few testi- 
monial letters, as will be seen by the reader on a glance at the fol- 
lowing : 

(Copy.) 

Richmond, Va., December 10, 1883. 
To whom it may concern : 

It has been my privilege to attend some of Mr. Gleason's exhibitions of 
It is system of horse-training. I have seen him managing horses of various 
temperaments, some highly nervous, some balky and some that would be 
called stubborn, and it affords me much pleasure to be able to say that I 
have been very favorably impressed with his skill, which indeed amounts 
to science, as well as with his perseverance and patience. 

I have been greatly pleased also with his ideas of horseshoeing which 
I heard from him in my personal interviews with him. Convinced as I 
have been, from many years' observation and study of the matter, that 
horses are crippled more by bad shoeing than by almost any other cause, 
I believe that could our blacksmiths be induced to adopt his system, it 
would be a great mercy to these faithful servants of man, as well as a 
source of much profit and comfort to themselves. 

I am persuaded that Mr. Gleason is worthy of the confidence and grati- 
tude of every true lover of horses. 

A. G. ARMSTRONG, 

Rector of Monumental Church, and President of Virginia Society for Pre- 
vention of Crueltv to Animals. 



— 102 — 

Dr. W. H. Wray, United States Chief Veterinary lNSPECTO&-of 
Maryland. 

Baltimore, August 6, 1888. 
To whom it may co7icem : 

This is to certify that I have attended several of the exhibitions given 
by Prof. O. R. Gleason. His method of controlling and subduing vicious 
horses is wonderful. To my knowledge he has been successful in subdu- 
ing a number of animals that was given up as worthless by other so-called 
horse educators. 

I have seen his work on horse training advertised, and if in print would 
secure a copy at once, as I believe it to be a work necessary to every horse 
owner, especially those liable to have a vicious animal. I cheerfully 
recommend the work to any one in need of such an article, as the pro- 
fessor's methods are second to none. 

W. H. WRAY, D. V. S. 



House of Representatives, U. S. 

Washington, D. C, March 5, 1888. 
Dr. J. O. Flower, 5th street and Pennsylvania avenue, Pittsburg, Pa. 

Dear Sir : — I have your letter in relation to Professor Gleason. I have 
seen the professor exhibit his powers, and I shall do anything I can to 
.promote the service he is so abundantly qualified to render. 

Yours very truly, THOMAS M. BAYNE. 



Washington, D. C, April 2, 1887. 
-T>rof. O. R. Gleason : 

Sir : — With the compliments of the undersigned, after witnessing your 
wonderful power and control over the equine race, and desiring to recog- 
nize your exhibition in the capitol of this nation, I present to you this pen, 
used by Chester A. Arthur, President of the United States of America, in 
signing his name to the different acts passed by the Congress which closed 
ihis official career as the Executive of this great nation. 

EUGENE P. CORVAIZIER, 

Xate Private Messenger of Chester A. Arthur, deceased President of the 
United States. 

! 



— 103 — 

(Copy.) 

Hartford, Conn., February 23, 1888. 
To THE Hon. R. J. VANCE, 

Representative in Congress. 

Pear Sir. — Seeing that there is now a bill pending before Congress for 
the retention of an experienced horseman to instruct in horsemanship, to 
lecture on the science of doctoring and training the horse, also to attend 
to the buying, and superintend the shoeing of the horses belonging to the 
government, and that Prof. O. R. Gleason is an applicant for said position, 
I take the liberty of writing you in his behalf. I have had forty years ex- 
perience in shoeing and handling horses and have brought it down to 
what 1 claim to be a science. I have shod and handled the best horses in 
the country. I have been associated with and know all the horsemen of 
any note, and I have no hesitancy in pronouncing Prof. O. R. Gleason the 
king of horsemen, and for a man to fill such a position as he has applied 
for there is not his equal in the country. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Prof. CHAS. HENIE. 

Xow, in closing, I desire to impress upon the minds of my readers 
that all of the attachments I have in use to subdue and handle the 
wild and vicious horse, are the out-cropping of my fertile brain, and 
the utilizing the fruits of my own study and fifteen years of inces- 
sant practice, and to make it short, are my own original ideas exem- 
plified. So if in my being the exponent of these merciful methods 
of handling the noble but vicious animal, I am construed in the 
light of his benefactor, as well as a friend to mankind, I am satisfied. 

Very respectfully I am, as I have been for the past fifteen years, 

The public's most obedient servant, 

OSCAR 11. GLEASON. 

P. S. — I will here remark at this date, December 31st, 1888, I have 
signed a contract to sail from San Francisco, Cal., March 30th, 1889, 
for Sydney, Australia, opening there May 4th, and shall exhibit in 
New Zealand, India and other foreign countries, including Europe ; 
and if I live to return, will retire from my professional work and 
give some other aspirant the chance to climb the ladder as I have 
done, from the bottom rung to the very topmost. 0. 11. G. 



— 104 — 



The Breaking and Taming of Wild and Vicious Horses. 




Nature of the Horse. 

The horse has no reasoning faculties beyond the limits of his ex- 
perience. Hence we can reason with him by acts alone. Literally, 
with the horse, acts speak louder than words ; and hence the abso- 
lute importance of commencing every move with the horse right, 
for by our acts he learns. Secondly, early impressions are strong 
both in the human family and with the horse, and seldom, if ever, 
are entirely erased from memory's tablet. 

Who is there in the human family that does not well remember 
the first impressions of his boyhood days ; and as we journey on 
through life, what a controlling influence they exert over us; just 
so with the horse. Hence the great importance of having his first 
impressions of man, of such a nature as to convince him not only 
of man's superiority, but to satisfy him that man is his best friend. 
Obtained by a systematic course of handling, not only supreme 
power over him, but teach him also to repose trust and confidence 
in you and then never betray it. No animal has memory equal to 
that of the horse, and none will reciprocate a kindness or resent an 
injury sooner. I hold that man being on account of his intellectual 
resources superior to all other animals, is and has a right to be at 



— 105 



the head of all animal creation, for he can adopt means to overcome 
the strength of the horse or even use it against himself. 

Always remember this : before any attempt is made to handle a 
horse, it is an imperative necessity that we must first consider his 
disposition, nature and understanding. 




Names and Situations of the External Parts of a Horse. 



I. 


Muscles. 


15- 


Hock. 




29. 


Heel. 


2. 


Face. 


16. 


Cannon. 




30. 


Small Pastern. 


3- 


Forehead. 


»7- 


Fetlock. 




31. 


Large Pastern. 


4- 


Poll. 


[8. 


Large P 


istern. 


32. 


Fetlock. 


5- 


Crest. 


19- 


Small Pastern. 


33- 


Cannon or Shan 


6. 


Withers. 


20. 


Hoof. 




34- 


Knee. 


/• 


Back. 


21 . 


Sheath. 




35- 


Forearm. 


8. 


Loins. 


22. 


Flank. 




36. 


Breast. 


9- 


Hip. 


23- 


Belly. 




37- 


Point. 


IO. 


Croup. 


24. 


Stifle. 




38. 


Shoulder. 


I 1 . 


Dock. 


25- 


Coronet. 




39- 


Windpipe. 


12. 


Quarters. 


26. 


Girth. 




40. 


Gullet. 


13- 


Thigh. 


27. 


Elbow. 




41. 


Neck. 


14, 


I [amstring. 


28. 


Arm. 




42. 


Jowl. 



106 




Intelligent Driving- Horses. 

Question. How would you tell the dispositions of different horses? 

Answer. Horses vary in disposition the same as people. Some 
have nervous, excitable dispositions, while others are treacherous 
and sullen. Tf the horse has long ears, long hair on the inside, nar- 
row between the ears, narrow between the eyes, with a small, round 
eye, sunken in the back of the head, and a small, thick nostril, you 
have a horse of no intelligence and of a very sluggish disposition. 
If you have a horse with small ears, furry inside, broad between the 
ears, broad between the eyes, with a large, full, hazel eye, and a 
large, thin nostril, he is a quick, nervous, intelligent animal, ready 
to obey any command that you give him; but you must not whip or 
spur him. Now, if you ever find a horse that drops in on the top 
of his head and full between his eyes and a kind of a Roman neck on 
him, and the face between the eyes dished out, these are generally 
horses that have some vicious or bad vice, and have a treacherous 
and vicious disposition. 



Question. What colored horses are of the best disposition? 

Answer. During my professional career of over fifteen years, and 
having handled in the neighborhood over 15,000 horses, I have 



— 107 — 

found the easiest subjects were horses of the following colors : Black, 
dark bay, dark brOwn and chestnut. Horses of iron gr-iy, light 
chestnut or sorrel and light bay generally are horses of a mean dis- 
position or a very stubborn will. 

Thoroughbred horses require more hard work and longer lessons 
to get them under perfect control than a cold-blooded horse, but 
when once thoroughly taught what you want him to do he will 
never forget your teachings. 




Question. How do you handle a whip to make a colt come for- 
ward. 



Ansiver. Take hold of his halter with one hand (left hand), take 
a bow whip in your right hand, let the cracker of the whip touch 
him on the tail, carrying the whip directly over his back, as seen in 
the above engraving; touch him lightly with the whip and say 
"come here." 



— 108 — 

Question. How would you break and train a colt, and at what 
age would you give the colt his first lesson ? 

Answer. The first lesson to give a colt should be to turn him 
into a box stall or enclosure of some kind about twenty feet square, 
taking in your right hand a whip and approaching the colt. If he 
runs away from you give him a crack of the whip around the hind 
limbs and follow this up until he will turn his head towards you, 




then throw the whip back under your left arm, holding out your 
right hand, using the words " come here." If, as you approach the 
colt, he turns to run away from you, give him the whip. When he 
comes to you offer him an apple. In thirty or forty minutes' time 
you will teach him that it is wrong to turn his heels towards you ; but 
when he finds he is being rewarded he will soon learn that the right 
way is to keep his head to you. 

When working with a colt always have plenty of patience ; go 
slow and easy, be gentle with him and learn him as you would a 
child his A, B, C's. 



109 



Question. How do you handle a colt's feet and teach him to 
stand to be shod ? 

Answer. In handling a colt for the blacksmith shop, place a 
sursingle around his body, then take a strap about ten inches long 
and strap his front foot up to the surcingle. How many times in 
picking up the foot you have seen a great many persons, especially a 
blacksmith, pound a colt's foot to make him take it up. Now, in- 
stead of doing that, place your left hand upon the horse's shoulder, 
with the right hand take hold of the horse's ankle. When you wish 
the foot to come up press against the horse's shoulder with your left 




hand, this throws him off his balance and you can very easily take 
the foot from the ground. As your strength is nothing compared 
with the horse's strength you must use such means as to overpower 
him and to place him in the position where he cannot get away from 
you in order for you to meet with success. Now, after you have 
strapped his front foot up to the surcingle, you then compel the 



— 110 — 

colt to make four or five steps on three legs. If he is inclined to 
be wild he will rear, pitch and plunge in the air, but it is impossi- 
ble for him to get his foot away ; but as soon as he finds out that he 
is fast he will give up; you can unbuckle the strap and loosen his 
foot and you then have his limb under perfect control. Now this is 
only one front limb; the other must be handled the same way. 




Question. How would you break a colt to ride ? 

Answer. First put on a riding bridle and an ordinary surcingle. 
Let one man stand on the off side of the colt with his right hand 
on the bridle bit, and another man stand on the nigh side of the colt 
with his left hand holding the bridle bit. Then take a boy and let 
him mount the colt. The moment he is on the colt's back, the man 
on the off side, with his left hand, takes hold of the boy's leg, and the 
man on the nigh side also takes hold of the boy's leg with his right 
hand. Now, if the colt should plunge, there are two of you tc hold 
him, and at the same time you are holding on to the boy, and it is im- 



— Ill — 

possible for the colt to throw him off'. Lead him around for ten or 
fifteen minutes in this way. Then you can let go of the boy's legs, 
and one man can lead the colt. Be very careful to caution the rider 
not to touch his heels to the colt's side. Lead him around, say for 
ten or twenty minutes. Let the driver dismount and mount him 
again. Then put the colt away. In two or three hours bring him 
out again and get on him. If he should make any attempt to 
throw the rider the second time, let him take the left-hand line in 
four inches shorter than the other. That pulls the colt's head 
around to his side and sets him on a whirl. After he has whirled 
around six or eight times he becomes a little dizzy. You can then 
straighten up on the lines and say, "Get up," and he will move off 
nicely. Work as easy with him as you possibly can. I would advise 
that all colts, before being rode, should be thrown. Then you will 
have no difficulty whatever. 



Handling and Driving a Colt. 

Teach him not to be afraid of all kinds of objects. In the hand- 
ling of a colt for driving purposes, first take an ordinary open bridle 
and straight bar bit and a surcingle, or a pad of harness, and run 
the lines through the thill straps of the harness ; then step back 
behind the colt and take hold of the lines and commence to teach him 
to turn right and left by the bit. Never teach him more than one 
thing at a time. After you get him so he will turn quickly to the 
right and left by line, you then can teach him the word " whoa." 
Then after this has been accomplished teach him to back. Then, 
before ever putting a colt before a wagon, be sure you have him 
thoroughly bitted and have taught him all of the above commands. 
Now, before hitching the colt, you want to make him familiar with 
everything that will be liable to frighten him on the start, such as 
umbrellas, tin pans, paper, fire -crackers, buffalo robes, blankets, top 
carriages, and in fact every object that frightens many of our horses 
and makes them run away. In order to control the colt, teach him 
that these objects are harmless, in the following manner: 

Buckle an ordinary hame strap around each front limb below the 
fetlock joint ; then take a rope twenty feet long, tie one end of this 



— 112 — 

rope into the ring of the nigh front limb ; then place the rope over 
"the ring in the surcingle underneath the horse's body ; now through 
a ring on the off front limb, back through the ring in the surcingle; 
this gives you a double lever purchase on the front limbs ; now step 
back behind the colt, take the lines in the right hand and the rope 
in the left hand, give the colt the command to move forward ; when 
you wish him to stop use the word " whoa" and pull the rope at the 




Showing the Working of (ikasons Double Safety Rope. 

same time, which will bring the colt to his knees. Now, after you 
have practiced with the working of this rope, you then have a boy 
take an umbrella and come up in front of him over his head, rattle 
tin pans, sleigh bells, buffalo robes, and, in fact, introduce him to 
everything that is liable to frighten him. If he makes any attempt 
to get away bring him to his knees and hold him there, and teach 
him that he is not going to be hurt. These lessons must not be 
over one hour, giving two of them per day, and in five days your colt is 
ready to drive. 



— 113 — 

All colts should be broke thoroughly to harness when one year of 
age, but never put to hard work until they are five years of age. 
When breaking use as light a vehicle as possible. Always educate 
•your colt to drive single first, and any one can drive him double. 

Too much importance cannot be attached to the manner of edu- 
cating a horse's heels, as it is in that point his greatest means of de- 
fence and resistance lies, and most men make the mistake of break- 
ing one end of the horse, while they allow his hind parts to go 
uneducated. The instructions I am about to give will, if properly 
followed, insure success. 




To Educate a Colt not to be Afraid of His Heels. 



While you have the colt down, as illustrated in the above cut, 
make him thoroughly acquainted with bells, drums, tin pans and 
cracking of the whip, being careful all the while not to inflict pain. 
Roll an empty barrel over him, all the time creating as much noise 
as possible ; you will find he will soon give up to it, lying perfectly 



— 114 — 

still like a philosopher until the confusion is stopped and you-com- 
mand him to get up. When he gets up caress him by patting him 
on the neck, giving him an apple, &c. Now, give the colt this 
same lesson every day for three or four days and you will soon see the 
practical utility of this teaching when you come to drive him, as 
you will have a young horse that will not be afraid of bands of mu- 
;sic or any sudden noises which he may come in contact with, and 
he will always remember the lesson. 

The above instruction is equally applicable to a kicking horse, but 
in his education he will require more lessons before the habit will be 
entirely removed. Still, kindness and a little patience will soon ac- 
complish all you desire. 

Men in general exercise too little patience in the training of their 
colts, and they frequently expect to accomplish more in a short 
space of time than can possibly be performed. Yet the time really 
required, when measured by days, is so short as to be really surpris- 
ing. Let us suppose that in training a colt one were to spend two 
Tionrs a day for ten days, which is the longest time that could possi- 
bly be needed. Compute the time at ten hours to a day, and the 
whole amounts to but two days, at the end of which he would have 
a well educated animal. I doubt if a farmer or horse raiser could 
employ his time more profitably in any other way than in thor- 
oughly educating his colts, as he thus enhances their value, for 
there is no sensible man who would not give fifty dollars more for a 
properly educated animal than for one improperly trained. 

Question. How would you hitch a colt by the halter the first 
time? 

Answer, Take a rope twenty feet long, making a slip-knot in one 
end, passing it around the body in front of the colt's hind legs, with 
the knot directly under the horse's belly, bringing the other end be- 
tween his front legs, then up through the halter; then hitch him 
to the manger or post, throwing the halter strap over his back so as 
to be out of the way. Be sure and have a halter with a strong head 
stall. Then step in front of him and show him a parasol, beat a 
drum, doing anything and everything you can to frighten him, be- 



— 115 



ing careful not to inflict pain, and repeat this lesson to him every 
day for two or three days, and you will have him thoroughly broke. 
Use the same treatment for a halter puller. 




^I'll 



Question. Can you give me any rule to buy a family horse by ? 

Answer. Your horse should stand sixteen hands high, the ears 
very small, pointed and furry inside, very wide between the ears ; a 
large bright hazel eye standing out prominently ; the nostrils must 
be large and thin ; neck long and well cut up under the jaw ; heavy 
muscle on top. The withers must always be higher than the hips ; 
back broad and long hips, and close jointed. 

For durability always buy a close-jointed horse, and one with fine, 
short hair. The finer the hair the longer-lived the horse. For a 
good road horse, he should measure exactly as much from between 
his ears and his withers as from withers to the coupling of the hip ; 
that is, the withers should be exactly midway between his ears and 



— 116 — 



the coupling of the hip. From the point of the withers ^to the 
shoulder should be just as long as from the coupling of the hip to 
the point of hip by tail. The horse should measure from the point 




of his withers to the bottom of his front foot fifty-seven inches, and 
from the point of the shoulder to the point of the hip ; length of 
horse, sixty-two inches. Parties buying by this rule will find it in- 
variable. 

The Way to Shoe a Vicious Horse. 

Take a strap and buckle around the hind foot below the fetlock 
joint, and take a rope ten feet long and place it through the ring 
upon this strap ; take a wooden pin four inches long and an inch in 
diameter, lay directly across che hair of the horse's tail — doubling 
the hair over the pin makes a loop — then tie a slip-knot in one end 
of the rope and pass it over the end of the tail and the pin ; now 
reach down and take hold of the rope, stepping directly behind the 
colt, and say to him " take up your foot, sir," and pull the rope at 
the same time. After picking up his foot four or five times, by the 



-117- 




HiiiMtlinir a Colt's IIin<l Feet. 



use of this rope, you can handle his hind feet with ease to be shod. 
Handle the other foot by the same process. 




Gleason's Head Strap for SLoiiuv Vicious Horses. 



— 118 — 

When you have a horse that will not stand to be shod in a black- 
smith shop, take a strap about four feet long, make a ring in one end 
of it, put the strap in his mouth, having the ring at the top of his 
head. Pass the other end of the strap through the ring and draw 
down tight and tie. Then use in combination my method of hand- 
ling a horse's foot. Rope, wooden pin and strap as seen in engrav- 
ing elsewhere in this book. By this means you have complete con- 
trol of your horse. Always be gentle with your horse, but be firm 
and teach him that you must have your way. 




Perfect Hearts of Draft Horses, Kind and Good Workers. 



(Question. How do you work your bit, and is it patented ? 

.Answer. My bit is a straight bar bit with check pieces, with slots 
:in lower ring and a small ring for curb strap. When the bit is buck- 
led to the bridle the cheek piece of the bit buckles into the bis 
rings right in front of curb strap rings. For driving an ordinary 
horse the reins are buckled into the big rings. If you have a horse 
that is liable to run away, kick, shy or is hard to control, buckle the 
Aines from the big ling .and buckle them down in the slot of the 



— 119 — 

cheek piece. This gives you 500 pounds pressure, and any lady can 
drive the worst puller that you ever saw. The curb strap must be 
buckled at all times back of the jaw. Just have it fit snugly. 

The philosophy of this bit, being perfectly square, is that the 
moment you pull on the reins the bit turns in the horse's mouth and 
throws his jaws open ; the curb strap doing its work throws the bit 
directly back from the jaw. 




Ft 6. 3. 




prof.o.r.gleason's 

NEW BRIDLE BIT 

PATENTEO 

FEB. 21 SI 1688 

N? 5/8,305 

SEE FULL DIRECTIONS,H0W 
i TO USE IT.UNGERTHIS 
ENGRAVING. 7 



INVENTOR 




FtG. 4* 



(KftfiLHISDR 



I have studied over three years to invent a bit that would do its 
work and do away with all those cruel four-ring bits, chain bits, and 
in fact all severe bits. This one I am using at the present time at 
all my exhibitions with grand success, and can recommend it as the 
best driving bit I ever used. 



— 120 — 

I had the bit patented, number of patent, 378,305, on the ^Ist day 
of February, 1888. I have other patents still pending. I caution all 
parties not to manufacture or offer for sale these bits unless so author- 
ized by me. 

The Working of my New Bit. 

A represents the mouth-piece or bit proper, which is made in cross 
sections, with its edges cut off or dulled to prevent injury to the 
horse's mouth. To each end of the mouth-piece or bit proper and 
attached to the rings B in the usual manner. The rings B, prefer- 
ably made of steel and cast in one piece, are each formed with the 
downwardly projecting arm B, having a slot B 2, for attaching the 
reins, and with the upwardly projecting loop or eye B 3 for receiving 
a curb strap when desired. For ordinary use the headstall C, and 
reins D, will both be secured to the rings B, as shown in figure 3 ; 
but when the bit is to be used upon vicious and unruly horses, the 
reins D are secured to the arms B, and the curb strap E, which 
passes under the jaw of the horse, is secured to the loops or eyes B 3, 
as shown in figure 4. When thus arranged, by pulling on the reins, 
the leverage being increased, the mouth-piece or bit proper will be 
turned, and owing to its being square it will be impossible for the 
horse to take the bit in his teeth and hold on to it. Instead of form- 
ing the arms B of the rings with slots, rings may be secured to the 
ends thereof as in the ordinary manner. 

Question. What do you think of the check reins ? Should they 
be used on a horse ? 

Answer. I think the check reins, as used by many of our horse 
owners, are a cruelty to animals. I will give you my idea of the 
check rein and as I think it should be used. In the first place, if 
your horse is born into this world with style he will always have it. 
If he is born into the world without style, you cannot produce style 
where nature designed for it not to go by the use of straps or ropes, 
unless you are torturing the poor dumb brute. 

I approve of the side check rein used only to prevent the horse 
from putting his head to the ground when you stop your team. I 



— 121 — 

condemn the use of all overdraw check reins, also check bits of every 
description. A great many believe that by using an overdraw check 
rein and elevating their horses' heads in the air that they drive easier 
and that they are guarding against the horse from running away. 
This is wrong. No horse, in my estimation, looks handsomer, freer 
and easier than those that are driven with open bridles and no check 
rein. I would here suggest that every team horse to-day used or heavy 




draft horse, or hack horses, and all animals used by transportation 
companies, should be worked with open bridles, doing away with the 
blinders and the check rein. Give the work horse and the driving 
horse the free use of his head, the same that you wish yourself, not 
only will they drive better, but last longer, and keep on five per cent. 
less food. 

A law should be passed prohibiting the use of all overdraw check 
reins, as it passes directly over the brain of the horse. 



— 122 — 




The Horse with Over-check. 



In this illustration we see the law of curved line violated. Not 
only is the strap running over the head made unduly conspicious, 
but a straight line running thus over an arching neck is as much out 
of place as a straight pole would be by the side of a bed of roses. 

Again, this straight strap is not only a disfigurement of itself, but 
it is still further injurious to fine appearance, in consequence of tak- 
ing the curve from the horse's neck and converting it into a straight 
line, besides wearing off and breaking to pieces the mane, which in 
many horses is a leading feature of beauty. 

It will also be seen that the grandeur of the horse's bearing and 
noble pose of head are all destroyed by this peculiar method of 
checking which turns the eyes upward and nose outward, and makes 
the neck appear considerably smaller than it really is. 

It is impossible to resort to a device that will more effectually 
destroy the handsome appearance of fine horses than does this foolish 
appliance for raising the horse's head by means of the overcheck. 
There is no beautiful object in nature but would have its beauty 
marred by a line that would hold it thus in constrained position. 



— 123 — 




Horse in Natural Beauty "Without Check-reiu. 



As will be seen in the above, the horse, which is one of the most 
beautiful animals in existence, is largely so, because of its fine pro- 
portions and graceful curving outline. 

In all her objects of beauty nature furnishes the curve. She 
never allows a straight line. We see this in the outer form of bird, 
leaf, blossom, tree, forest, mountain and planet. This is strikingly 
shown in the human countenance, which, when wasted by disease, 
loses its beauty through becoming thin, angular and full of straight 
lines. With returning health, the face becomes more full and more 
curved, and more color comes into its lines and beauty is restored. 

Horsemen, in the dressing of the horse, should understand this 
law, as a well-cared for, well-groomed horse, cannot be improved in 
appearance by harness. There should be just as little of it used as 
possible, and every strap should be made as small as safety would 
allow. In short, the harness should be such as will allow the perfect 
outline of the animal, in all its parts, to stand freely forth. 



— 124 — 




Cruelly Tortureil toy High-checking. 



To fully realize the barbarities practiced upon some of our best 
horses, watch that beautiful team which stands at the church door, 
or iu front of some store, while the occupants of the carriage are en- 
gaged elsewhere. 

Possibly the heads of the horses are held in torturing positions by 
the side check, which oftentimes holds them too cruelly high, but 
quite likely it is the over check. See the vigorous pawing of the 
earth, the champing of the bit, the throwing of the head, the restless 
turning of the neck to one side in order to loosen the check, lower 
the head and get rest. 

See the ignorant driver perched on the seat, all oblivious to the 
restlessness and frantic efforts of the horses to free themselves from 
their terrible pain. He supposes spectators will think that, with all 
their restlessness and foaming at the mouth, his horses have high 
mettle. 



— 125 




My idea as to how horses should be checked, road horses and 
others, I positively condemn the overdraw check, it certainly is, 
and there is no gainsaying it, cruelty to animals to use it. The only 
utility I can perceive there is in the check at all is to keep a horse 
from putting his nose to the ground when he stops, and when a 
check is used, place the loops high up on the cheek pieces to the 
head stall, as the horse can in such cases have the free use of his 
head, and can handle himself with ease and grace. For speeding 
horses it might become necessary to use the overdraw in some cases, 
but it must be understood that I hold firm to my idea as to the 
practicality of its general usefulness. 



Question. What do you think of breeding draft horses, and the 
care and early training of the colt ? 

Answer. It has been the stupendous error of the average farmer 
to consider that any mare will do to raise a colt from. Thousands 
of worthless horses bear witness to the absurdity of this. The mare 
should be, as nearly as we can have her, what we hope the colt to be. 
Above all, she must be sound in feet, bone and wind. She should 



— 126 — 

be rangy to have room for the growth of the foetus, and wide in the 
hips to allow of easy parturition. The stallion should be rather 
more compactly built than the mare. "A short back a\id a long 
belly," is an old and correct rule for a serviceable horse. It means 
good shoulders, good withers, good back and loin, and powerful 
quarters. The breeder may be assisted by giving some attention to 
the rule, which has many exceptions, that the male parent gives the 
external, and the female the internal structure ; that the sire gives the 
locomotion, and the dam the vital organs, that is, the constitution. 
The mule and the hinny are striking illustrations of this rule. 

I am decidedly in favor of autumn foals. The press of spring 
work upon the farm demands more service from the foal-bearing 
mare than she should be required to perform. The flies of summer 
annoy and often nearly devour the youngster. Both dam and colt 
often suffer from insufficient food in short pastures of a drought, and 
at length the colt is weaned when the frost-bitten grass has lost its 
nutriment, and the increasing cold demands abundant food. The 
first winter is a trying time with colts, and many never recover from 
the injury they then receive from insufficient or improper food. 
With warm stables and comfortable sheds, the autumn colt can suck 
the well-fed mare in the winter, and be weaned upon fresh grass in 
the spring, and never know a check in his growth. He is old and 
strong enough to withstand the attacks of flies in the summer, 
and to endure without injury the colds of his second winter. He 
should receive regular rations of oats and wheat bran as soon as 
he has learned to eat along with the mare when she is taking her 
feed. These can best be given him at a little distance from the mare, 
she being secured in her place by a halter. For the first year he 
should receive liberal allowance of these foods twice a day, with such 
mixed hay and pasturage as he can take beside. These with linseed 
meal must be the main reliance for making him all we hope him to 
be. They are rich in the elements which make growth, and without 
these no perfect animal can be reared. Corn should never be given 
except in limited quantity in winter when warmth from carbo- 
hydrates is needed. Where corn must be fed, it should always be 
ground and mixed with finely cut clover hay, slightly moistened. 
The clover supplies the nitrogenous food in which the corn is so 
deficient, and also gives the necessary bulk of proper digestion in 



— 127 — 

the stomach. It should always be remembered that the horse has 
but one stomach, and that is small. While on the one hand this 
cannot contain enough of coarse innutritious food, like straw or poor 
hay, to meet the demands of subsistence and growth, yet on the 
other the food must be bulky enough to admit of the speedy and 
thorough action of the gastric juice, so that the nutritive portions 
may be quickly dissolved and the refuse discharged. Where corn 
meal is fed alone it goes into the stomach in the plastic condition of 
dough, is there rolled about by the muscular action, is as imper- 
vious to the digesting juices as a ball of India rubber, and produces 
fever and frequently serious colic. Where corn is largely fed, its 
heating effects upon the blood are readily shown in unsoundness at 
the extremities. The oat is a wholesome food when fed alone, be- 
cause nearly one-third of its bulk is husk, which makes the mass in 
the stomach porous like a sponge. I desire to repeat that mixed 
hay, with a good proportion of clover, oats, wheat, bran and linseed 
meal, all containing albuminoids which furnish the materials for 
growth, must be relied upon to develop a draft horse to his true 
proportions. He must never know a hungry day, and he must never 
spend an hour shivering on the north side of barn, waiting for 
his food. While, on the one hand, a stable may be too warm, on the 
other, every storm in winter is too cold for a steady and vigorous 
growth. An exposure to cold that produces an active circulation 
on the surface, and gives to boys and girls bright, rosy cheeks, con- 
duces to health ; but every exposure that chills the blood draws upon 
the vital forces and saps the foundations of the constitution. It 
costs more, and costs double the time, to regain a pound of lost 
weight than it does to add five pounds in a continuous growth. 

I am strongly in favor of grooming colts in winter, not with the 
expenditure of labor necessary in using the currycomb and brush, 
but by a hasty rubbing with a stiff stable broom. It accomplishes 
two important results — the stimulation of a healthful action of the 
skin and the acquaintance of the colt with handling and with the 
contact with substances that otherwise would occasion alarm. This 
must be commenced with great gentleness. At no time in his 
growth should a colt ever be frightened. Unnecessary fright ruins 
multitudes of horses. My own colts, some of which are highly 
bred, purposely for saddle horses, and are of nervous temperaments, 



— 128 — 

are daily treated to the stable-broom grooming, to their evident bene- 
fit. Now almost anything can be thrown against them, or about 
their legs, without occasioning alarm. 

At all ages colts should have abundant exercise. The pasture in 
summer, and well enclosed; well shedded paddocks in winter fur- 
nish the best opportunities for this. They should be frequently 
handled from the beginning by cool and judicious hands, ever 
Temembering that, like ourselves, they can learn but one letter of 
their alphabet and one step in their knowledge at a time. Every 
colt, whatever his class, should be broken to the saddle, because at 
some time in after life he mast be ridden, and because in no other 
way can he obtain such acquaintance with his master's will. The 
colt reared for draft purposes can have the walking gait developed 
when under the saddle more readily than in any other way. This 
should afterward be continued by service beside a fast walking horse. 

In conclusion, I will only add that the expense of breaking a draft 
horse is less, by many times, than any other. He sooner pays for his 
keep by service upon the farm than does any other. When old 
enough for the market, he finds a readier sale than doea any other, 
and a given number of them, from ten to one hundred, taken to- 
gether, will sell for more money than will any equal number of any 
other class of horses whatsoever. To-day the West has almost a 
monopoly in our country in rearing these profitable animals. The 
agricultural papers are filled with advertisements of stud establish- 
ments, their State and county fairs find their greatest attractions in 
their exhibition, and their farmers are rapidly learning the advan- 
tage of rearing them. We can surpass them if we will, for our 
situation and conditions are better than theirs. Our farmers will do 
well to give early and earnest attention to this important subject. 

The Stable. 

This is a very important part of the subject, and one which is too 
often neglected by people who own horses and who leave their gen- 
eral management to stable keepers or grooms often grossly neglectful 
or ignorant. Many horses die yearly from the neglect of their owners 
to enforce the ordinary laws of health in the stable. A site should 
."be chosen, nearly or quite as well situated as that for the dwelling, 



— 129 — 

and the stable may be, if possible, separate and distinct from th 
barn with advantage. Hide it if you like behind trees, but do not 
cut off the 

Circulation of Air. 

A supply of pure air is as necessary to the life and health of a 
horse as of man. In many stables air is carelessly admitted, and 
blows either on the head of the horse or in such a way that cold and 
cough is the inevitable result. The practice of feeding hay through 
a hole above the head of the horse invites fatal results in the way of 
cold, not to mention the possibility of hayseed falling into the eyes 
of the horse when it is looking up for its food. An opposite error, 
however, is to exclude every possible breath of air and have the 
atmosphere of the stable hot and unwholesome. The effect of several 
horses being shut up in one stable is to render the air unpleasantly 
warm and foul. A person coming from the open air cannot breathe 
in it many minutes without perspiring. In this temperature the 
horse stands, hour by hour, often with a covering on. This is sud- 
denly stripped off, and it is led into the open air, the temperature of 
which is many degrees below that of the stable. It is true that while 
it is exercising it has no need of protection, but, unfortunately, it too 
often has to stand awaiting its master's convenience, and this, per- 
haps, after a brisk trot which has opened every pore, and its suscep- 
tibility to cold has been excited to the utmost extent. In ventilating 
stables it should never be forgotten that the health of a horse de- 
pends on an abundant supply of fresh, dry air, introduced in such a 
manner as to prevent a possible chance of a draught on any of its in- 
mates. Many old stables may be greatly benefited by the introduc- 
tion of a window or windows, which will require but little expenditure, 
and save many a dollar's worth of horseflesh. 

Hay Tea. 

This is also refreshing for a tired horse. Fill a pail with the best 
of clean, bright hay, and pour in as much boiling water as the pail 
will hold. Keep it covered and hot fifteen minutes, turn off the 
water into another pail and add a little cold water, enough to make 
a gallon and a -half or so, and when cold feed it to the horse. 



— 130 — 

Question. What do you think of having light in the horse's stall ? 

Answer. Many horses are compelled to stand in the stall where 
there is a window three or four feet above their heads. This I don't 
approve of, as the horse will naturally strain to look out of the 
window, and the light coming so high above his head many times 
hurts the eye-sight of the horse. I would advise all to have the 
windows put at one side of the stall, or I would rather they 
should be directly behind the horse. Always have your stall 
and stable well ventilated, and have it aired out thoroughly e^ery 
morning for at least two hours. 

Question. What is the best bedding to be used for bedding horses ? 

Answer. I approve of straw, using about on an average of four 
pounds per day. The first bedding will require ten pounds. Over 
two thirds of this can be saved every morning and placed in the sun 
where it can dry, ready for the bedding at night. Great economy 
•can be practiced in bedding horses. I don't approve of sawdust or 
shavings, as it causes many diseases in the horse's feet, such as 
thrush and other like diseases. I would rather, if you cannot get 
straw for your horse, to stand in the summer time on tan bark. 
And let me say here, that, if you have a horse that has contracted 
feet, sore-footed, or that his tendons are diseased, place him in a big 
box-stall bedded with nothing but tan bark, and you will see an im- 
provement in a very few days. 

Question. What do you think of horses having proper exercise ? 

Answer. There are more horses to-day that die from the want of 
not having proper exercise than by any other cause. There are 
hundreds and thousands of horses that are owned by wealthy people, 
and not having the proper work for their animals they are compelled 
to stand in the stable from one week to another, being fed very high, 
and the result is that the horse becomes stiff, lazy, and of a sluggish 
disposition. A horse, in order to be in health, should have not less 
than five miles of exercise every day. It matters not whether this is 
given in the carriage or under the saddle. It is better for our horse 
to be worn out than it is to rust out. Many times colic and different 



— 131 — 

diseases originate from the horse being over-fed and not having the 
proper exercise. Such diseases as staggers, fits and dummies, all 
come from over-feeding. 

I could go into quite a lengthy argument on the above question, 
but it is unnecessary ; I only give you this good advice. If you can- 
not drive your horse and give him the proper exercise, let some 
of your neighbors do it. 

Question, What do you think of bran mashes ? 

Answer. Horses should have a bran mash twice a week. In the 
spring of the year horses should have a few potatoes, carrots or roots 
of any kind, as it is now known sufficiently that both contribute to 
the strength and endurance of the sound horse, and to the rapid 
recovery of a sick one. A bushel of carrots and potatoes should be 
fed the horse twice a week during the spring months. 

Question. How would you clean a gray horse ? 

Answer. Take castile soap and add charcoal, and wash him 
thoroughly ; this will leave your horse's hair perfectly white, the 
charcoal being a great cleansing article. Always use the two 
together. 

Question. Will you give me a few general ideas on feeding ? 

Answer. I will commence by giving you my idea of how horses 
should be fed and cared for through the day. I will lay these rules 
down for general driving and draft horses. In the morning, the first 
thing, give your horse about two quarts of water; following this 
give him some grain ; following this give him some hay, a very little, 
not over one-half a pailful. After the horse has eaten his grain and 
hay, bring him out of his stall, give him a sharp, quick grooming, 
and then give him as much water as he wants. He is now ready for 
work. If you are driving the horse upon the road, it is the habit of 
a great many horsemen to continually keep watering their horses on 
a very warm day ; this I do not approve of, unless you have a pail 
with you ; then at about 9 or 10 o'clock in the forenoon give your 
horse one-half a pailful of water. At noon, just before you give 



— 132 — 

him his dinner let him have about a third of a pailful, then feed 
your grain ; give no hay. Just before you harness him for his after- 
noon's work, let him have what water he may want. In the after- 
noon's work follow the same rule as for the forenoon as for water. 
When you have finished the day's work, and are putting your horse 
up for the night, see first that the stall is well bedded ; place the 
horse in his stall, give him his grain, then take him out and give 
him what water he may need. When he is drinking the water have 
the hay for the night placed in the stall — a good quantity. Your 
horse is then cared for and will rest during the ni^ht. 

Under no circumstances feed hay first or with the grain. Always 
give your horse his hay after he has eaten up his grain. If you will 
follow the above rule you never will have a horse sick with colic. 

Now, as to feeding ; I am a great believer in good oats, and then 
they should be all sifted, every particle of dust and dirt taken from 
them, giving the horse nothing but the clean oats. All hay, when 
pitched down from the mow or taken from the bale, should be shook 
with the fork and every particle of dust and chaff shaken from it. 
In this way your horse gets clean and wholesome food, and then he 
is not pulling his hay out, or he is not wasting his oats, but he is at 
all times ready to eat his meals as they are placed before him in an 
eatable form. There is a great deal of grain wasted by the careless- 
ness of man. 

A book could be written on the manner of feeding, but I don't 
think it is necessary for me to speak on this subject, only of the 
general principles, and leave the rest to you and your good judgment. 

I might add that I do not recommend the feeding of corn unless 
ground together with oats in equal proportion. There are many 
dummies and horses with staggers, and horses that die with colic in 
our Western States caused entirely by the great amount of corn that 
is fed to them. Many old horses cannot masticate this corn, and 
the result is that it is not digested. So give your horse good pure 
oats, and good bright hay, and pure water. I would recommend the 
use of soft water from brooks and mill streams. When this cannot 
be had, and you have to draw the water from a well, let it stand in a 
trough or tub one hour before letting your horse drink. Many say 
that muddy water or any kind of water from a muddy pool is good, 
but don't ask your horse to drink what you would not drink yourself. 



— 133 — 




Show in-.; Horse I.aliiii; from a IB iii Ii Rack or Manger, an I'miatnral 

Position. 



Question. AVhat do you think of horses eating from high mangers ? 

Answer. It is the practice of almost every horse owner to compel 
his horse to eat from high racks or mangers. This is something that 
I do not approve of, as it is unnatural for a horse to reach up after 
his food. In the first place, all the chaff, hayseed, dirt, etc., are 
liable to get into his eyes and ears, and many times when horses are 
fed their grain they eat it so fast that they do not masticate it prop- 
erly, and the result is that their digestive organs have to perform 
what their teeth ought to do. 

Take and turn your horse out into a field, or say on the side of a 
hill, and you Mill never see him feeding up the hill ; he will always 
feed sideways of the hill or down the hill. I claim that many horses 
are made sprung knee, stiff necked, many times come out of the stable 
acting as though they were foundered, caused from the continual 
strain of standing and reaching up for feed, which is positively im- 



— 134 — 

natural for all dumb animals. Think of yourself getting your break- 
fast reaching three feet above your head for every mouthful that you 
get. It would be more pleasant and you would relish your meal more 
by having the food placed one or two feet below your mouth. I ap- 
prove of having all horses fed in the following manner : Take your 
mangers and racks entirely out of the stall ; feed the hay from the 
floor even with your horse's feet. In giving grain have a box made 




4,ve*Sres r e. 



Horse Eating- his Food from the Ground, as Nature intended. The only 
Prosper Wav to Feed the Horse. 



movable, and place the grain in this box, and let the horse eat that 
from even with his feet. He eats his grain slow, masticating it prop- 
erly, and the result is that while you have had to give your horse 
twelve quarts of grain in feeding from a high manger, nine quarts 
fed from even with his feet will keep him in better condition than 
the twelve quarts fed from the manger; and I think that you will 
soon find out that my idea will save ten per cent, of food in one year. 



135 — 



©LE&SONfe rUU ©UTfilT 




fOB HANDLING 

£ A VICIOUS HORSE 



I his Engraving shows a Full Outfit, as used by 

O. It. Clleaxon in 11 andling all Horses 

of Vicious Habits. 



How to Make My Surcingle. 

In order to make my surcingle, have a piece of leather eight feet 
long, four inches wide, with rings upon it six inches apart, having it 
so that when it is buckled on the horse that two rings will be directly 



— 136 — 



under his body with one ring on each side of him and three rings 
on the top of the surcingle ; one of these surcingles will be very use- 
ful and should haiiff in every stable. 



To Educate Horses Not to be Afraid of Objects when 

Driving. 

It is impossible to overestimate the value of the subjoined instruc- 
tions respecting nervous and shying horses, therefore on this topic I 
wish to be particularly clear and explicit. Let the reader understand 
that horses take fright at objects because they fancy that those 
objects will harm them, and if you can by any means appeal to the 
horse's brain, and satisfy him that he is not going to be hurt, you 
have accomplished your object. And in order to do so you must 
have control of your horse. I do not mean by this that you are to 
adopt the too frequent course pursued by many, viz : subduing with 
the wliip, or other harsh means, which. will, without almost an ex- 
ception, increase the fear instead of removing the habit. Again, 
when a horse shies, the driver commences to jerk on the reins nearest 
to the object, and at once applies the whip, fully determined to 
master his horse. Both man and horse get excited, and the horse 
comes off victorious, because he cannot control him by the means 
used, and the result is that the next time the animal is frightened it 
bears a two-fold character — the fear of the object and the fear of the 
whip punishment. 

It is generally a crude habit of many persons when driving a 
horse past an object of which he is afraid to begin with " whoa, boy ! 
whoa, boy ! whoa, boy !" and when the horse has passed the object, 
to take the whip and lash him with it, and say " I will learn you to 
shy, ' &c. Now when this treatment is pursued, I claim the horse 
believes that the object that he was afraid of inflicted the pain, and 
consequently he is made worse instead of better. Now my theory is 
to use the whip gently when approaching the object, and compel him 
to walk right up to it, and let him smell of it, stopping him, show- 
ing him that it will not hurt him. 

Onlv use the whip when you give the word of command, speaking 
with force and distinction, as I believe nine-tenths of our runaways 



— 137 — 

are due more to the one driving him, than to the horse himself. 
The horse is a cunning animal and sizes up his driver with the ra- 
pidity of thought, and when he is fully aware that his driver is afraid 
of him, he takes advantage of it and runs away. If my instruc- 
tions are fully carried out by my readers, as to the thorough way as 
herein laid down, I am positively certain there will be no runaways. 

Question. How would you throw a horse down and hold him 
after throwing ? 

Answer. Put on your horse a good strong halter ; take a strap with 
a ring in it and buckle around your horse's off front limb, below the 




First Position Taken in Throwing a Horse. 



fetlock joint; take a rope eight feet long and tie into this strap; 
place a surcingle around the horse's body ; take your position on 
the nigh side of the horse, bring the rope over the horse's back from 



— 138 — 

the off side, taking hold of the rope with your right hand, pull hi& 
foot to his body; take a firm hold of this, holding the foot in this 
position ; then take hold of the horse's halter with your left hand,, 
pull his head to you and press against his body with your elbow, 
using the words " lie down." The majority of horses you can throw 
in a minute, while others may fight you for three or four minutes, 
but you will soon master them and they will have to come down. 




Second Position in Throwing' a Horse. 



As soon as the animal has been thrown, take the rope that is under- 
neath him, bring it under the surcingle and place it through the 
ring of the halter, back under the surcingle again, and here you 
have the rope to bring his head to his shoulder ; make him put his 
head down to the ground, and then if you want to rattle pans or 
shake buffalo robes around him, and he makes any attempt to get up, 
pull his head up immediately, which will prevent him from doing 
so; then take a whip and crack it around him; give him to thor- 



— 139 — 

oughly understand that you are his master. I am a great believer in 
throwing horses, and would recommend that every horse should be 
thrown, for this reason, that it takes the conceit out of them, and 
gives them to understand that man has more power than they have. 
If used by men of good judgment and patience, all young horses can 
be thoroughly brought under control by this manner of handling. 




Third Position in Throwing a Horse. 



Place a surcingle around the horse's body, buckle hame strap 
around off fetlock joint, take rope eight feet long, tie one end in 
Btrap on off foot, pass the rope over horse's back from the off side. 
Stand on near side of horse, grasp rope with right hand and pull 
foot to the body. With the left hand take hold of the halter and 
pull his head to you, press right elbow against his flank, and he 
must lie down. 

The rope is now under the horse's body. Put the end of rope 
through the ring in the halter, then through the ring in the surcin- 
gle on the horse's back. Then take your position at the horse's back 
as seen in engraving. You can prevent him from getting up by pull- 



— 140 — 

ing his head to his shoulder. If the horse is nervous and excitable, 
have your assistants crack the whip, rattle tin pans and shoot fire- 
arms, around, him, until he will lie perfectly quiet, with his head 
resting on the ground. In order to familiarize your horse to all ob- 
jects of which he is afraid, repeat this lesson once a day for three or 
four days. I Avould recommend that every horse should be thrown, 
as it takes the conceit out of him. 




Fourth Position in Throwing- and Showing the Horse Down. 



Question. How do you make your surcingle, and what will it cost? 

Answer. My surcingle that I use in all of my exhibitions is eight 
feet long, and around the horse's body four inches wide, with a three- 
inch buckle, and the part of the surcingle that goes through the 
buckle two and one-half inches wide. When the surcingle is on 
the horse the buckle comes right on the side of the animal, under- 
neath the horse's body. There are four two-inch rings, one on each 
side, one underneath, and on the top of the surcingle a ring. These 
rings underneath the horse's body are used for the working of my 



— 141 — 

double safety rope ; the rings on the side of the surcingle are used 
for the reins to puss through ; the ring on the top of the surcingle 
is used to pass the rope through and hold the horse down after you 
have thrown him. This surcingle is a very handy thing for every- 
one to have, and any man that has a number of horses to handle or 
break should not be without one. 




Proper Walter to be t'sed in Throwing a Vicious Horse. 



They are very handy to have in the stable in case of a sick horse 
or any surgical operation that you may wish to perform. 

They should cost you about $5.50, according to the material that 
you have in it. This surcingle I use when 1 throw the horse. Every 
horseman should Ivive one. 



— 142 — 

If in throwing a horse you find it requires too much strength, the 
horse being too large or fights too hard, when using my method of 
drawing up one foot, I would suggest the appliance of my double 
safety strap. Buckle the strap around each front limb below the 
fetlock joint. Take a strap twenty feet long, snapping to strap on 
nigh front limb, place through the ring in surcingle underneath his 
body, draw through ring on off front limb and back through ring in 
surcingle. Now take hold of strap with right hand, take the halter 
in left hand. Your horse is standing on three legs. Now pull him 
to you, and when he makes a move, you pull the strap and raise the 
other leg; this brings him to his knees, Now pull his head around 
to you, and the horse will gently fall upon his right side. This is 
the safest and best method of throwing a horse I know of, there being 
no danger of hurting either horse or man. 

You Must Educate Your Horse. 

Educate and teach him as you would a child, and thus make him 
more useful and valuable to man. The horse is an animal of no 
little intelligence, docility and faithfulness, qualities which would 
be more generally apparent were it not for the cruel treatment so 
commonly practiced in breaking him. Have patience with him, and 
practice good judgment and common sense in handling him. Un- 
derstand before you commence to drive him that he is a dumb brute, 
and as he cannot talk he will watch your every movement. A finely- 
bred horse is as sensitive as a well-bred person, and you should not 
halloo, whip or spur him as you would an old dung-hill of a brute. 

The whip is a very good thing, but should only be used in its 
place, which I will give you a little illustration of here. If you are 
driving along the road and your horse shies at a covered wagon or a 
bicycle or a white dog, or anything that excites his fright and causes 
him to shy, do not wait until he gets by and then up and whip him 
for the next fifteen minutes, but when he discovers it, take the lines 
in the left hand and the whip in the right, and when he makes his 
first shy give him a sharp crack of the whip, at the same time say- 
ing " take care, sir; what do you mean?" Don't talk as though you 
were half asleep, but as if you meant just what you said. Keep both 
eyes open and don't whip him as though you were trying only to kill 



— 143 — 

a fly on his back. Never strike a blow with a whip unless the voice 
accompanies it ; the word and blow should go together. 

One failing the horse-owners have is they do not talk to their horses 
enough. If a horse starts and runs you will stay in the carriage and 
not open your mouth, but sit pulling on the reins. You should 
speak to the horse, and if he is afraid of anything tell him to " take 
care, etc., it is not going to hurt you ;" the same time crack the whip to 
draw his attention. As a horse cannot think of two things at once,, 
the consistency of this is of course apparent. 

Bad Biters. 

If the horse is a stallion with a confirmed habit of biting and 
striking, I should not think it worth my while to attempt to cure 
him, but should castrate him at once. You are always in risk of 
your life or limb while you have such an animal about. If a mare or 
gelding, put on the Gleason bridle, and watch him closely, in a sly way, 
not letting him know you are watching him, but when he attempts 
to bite give him a few severe pulls upon the bridle. Do this in such: 
places as he is most likely to bite, and we will warrant that a few 
efforts will teach your animal that his jaws were not made to bite 
his keeper. To prevent a stallion from biting his mate when 
hitched up double, attach an independent line to the outside ring of 
his bit, letting it hang loosely, the end being held by the driver. 
As he attempts to bite, pull up sharply, and hit him severely with, 
the whip. 

Question. How would you handle a vicious, biting stallion ? 

Answer. The first thing I should do with him would be to throw 
him four or five times. When the horse is down handle his head, 
open his mouth and handle his mouth. Put on the "Gleason Bridle" 
take the whip in your right hand, cord in the left, and give him a 
thorough handling with this bridle, teaching him to stop when you 
say, "Whoa," and turn right and left quickly at the word of com- 
mand. I have handled a great number of vicious, biting stallions 
by the use of gunpowder, using revolvers holding thirty- eight blank 
cartridges. The moment the horse comes near you, or makes an at- 



— 144 — 

tempt to bite you, discharge the revolver directly in front of him, 
which frightens the animal and gives him such a sudden shock that 
it makes him afraid to bite you. All vicious, biting stallions should 
be watched closely, and never trusted, as I believe an old biting 
horse can never be broken of the habit so everybody can handle him. 

Question. How do you educate a bad shier ? 

Answer. In educating a bad shier I put on my double safety 
strap, which is a surcingle, around his body, a strap buckled around 
each front foot below each fetlock joint, then take a strap twenty 
feet long, tie one end of that strap into ring on nigh front limb, 
bring over surcingle under the horse's body down to ring on off 
front limb, back over the ring in the surcingle. Put on open bridle 
and straight bar bit, run the lines through ring on side of surcingle, 
then take and teach the horse the word "whoa" thoroughly, to "get 
up" by word of command and to back by word of command ; then 
throw papers at him, blankets, buffalo robes ; roll barrels around 
him, wave flags over his head. If he makes any attempt to get away 
pull your safety strap and bring him to both knees and hold him 
there. As soon as he becomes quiet let him up on his feet : crack 
the whip around him, and in fact give him to thoroughly understand 
that these objects are perfectly harmless. After giving the horse 
two lessons he is ready to drive on the street. 

Question. How would you educate a bad runaway horse ? 
Answer. The same treatment as a bad shier, only more severe. 

Question. How would you educate and break a horse from run- 
ning backwards with a wagon? 

Answer. Put on my double safety strap, harness your horse up 
to the wagon, get into the wagon, take the lines in the right hand 
and the safety rope in the left ; you say "back" to the horse. When 
he has backed as far as you wish him to, say "whoa," and pull the 
safety rope, which prevents him from backing any further. After 
giving three or four lessons in this manner the horse will under- 
stand what you mean by "back," and when you say "whoa" will 
immediately stop. 



— 145 — 

How to Drive a Horse up to Objects that he is Afraid of. 

A practical way of driving a horse up to an object that he is afraid 
of is : Take the whip in your right hand, the lines in the left; when 
you are within ten or fifteen feet of the object, speak to your horse 
sharp and firmly, using about this language : "Get up there, sir, what 
is the matter with you ; that won't hurt you ;" at the same moment 
hitting him one severe cut with the whip; but do not repeat the 
blow unless it is necessary to hold him at his post. The moment 
that you have driven him up to the object he is afraid of, stop him, 
get out of your wagon and caress him, teach him that he is not go- 
ing to be harmed, and by all means let him walk away from the ob- 
ject, never letting him go faster than a walk. 

This same rule is laid down for saddle horses. 

Question. How would you stop a runaway horse ? 

Answer. Always, when driving, hold your reins firmly, whether 
the horse is vicious or not; you should at all times be on your guard, as 
they are never to be trusted. If your horse should take fright and 
start to run away, take a firm hold of the left line with your left 
hand, reach down upon the right line with your right hand and say 
" whoa,'' sharp, and pull the line quickly at the same time that 
you give the command, but do not move the left line ; this at once 
pulls your horse's head around to his side, and in nine cases out of ten 
will bring him to a stand-still ; never see-saw the reins or pull up- 
on both lines, as you have no power then to stop the animal. Never 
jump from the carriage, as more lives are lost and more limbs broken 
by being frightened and jumping from the carriage when the horse 
is running away. Keep cool and you will control the horse easily 
by following above directions. 

Question. How would you drive a lugger or puller on the bit ? 

Answer. I would use a plain straight bar bit wound with rubber 
or leather, doing away with the check rein. It is necessary in order 
to drive a lugger successfully to give him three or four lessons on the 
word " whoa " and the word " steady ; " teach him that when you 



— 146 — 

say " steady " it is to slack up in speed, but when you say " whoa," 
it is for him to stop. 

See that his teeth are not sharp, and if they are, have them fixed 
at once. There is no law that can be laid down for the driving of a 
lugger only to use as gentle and soft bits as possible. 

Questio?i. How do you educate or break a vicious kicking horse so 
he will drive gentle and be fit for family use ? 

Answer. In the first place take your horse out on a soft place, or 
on the plowed ground, and throw him down by working as follows : 
Put a surcingle around his body ; take a strap and buckle around 
the off front limb, below the fetlock joint ; take a rope eight feet 
long and tie into that strap, bring it up over the horse's back ; you 
stand on the nigh side of the horse and take hold of this rope with 




O. R. Gleason's Double Safety Strap. 



your right hand and pull his foot to his body ; then you take hold 
of the halter with the left hand and pull his head around to you, 
placing your right elbow against the horse's side, using the words 
" lie down." He may fight for three or four minutes, but if you 
hold to his head and keep it pulled around to you he must go down ; 
after he has been thrown, then take the rope and run it through the 
ring in the surcingle at his back, through the halter, back through 
the ring in the surcingle, then you take hold of the rope and if he 



— 147 — 

goes to get up pull the rope, and this brings his head to his shoulder 
and prevents him from getting up; then take tin pans, bells, rattle 
them all around him, then you can let him up; then you take and 
put on an ordinary open bridle, straight bar bit, using the pad of 
your harness, run the rings through the thill straps, then put on my 
double safety strap, which goes as follows: 

Buckle the strap around each front limb below the fetlock joint, 
take a strap twenty feet long and snap in strap on nigh front limb, 
place through ring in surcingle underneath his body ; draw through 
ring on off front limb back through ring in surcingle; step back 
behind the horse and take reins in right hand, pull on the left hand 
and commence to drive him ; every time he kicks bring him to his 
knees ; then take a back strap, attach to the reins with crouper and 
fasten on to that bells and one-half dozen tin pans, a bundle of straw, 
and drive him around with these articles hitting his heels ; have an- 
other man take a pole ten feet long and rattle these pans and bells ; 
carry the pole in front of the horse's limbs, and back behind his 
limbs, and every time he makes an attempt to kick bring him to his 
knees, using the command " take care, there, sir ;" speak this very 
sharply and firmly ; give him two lessons each day, each lesson not 
to be over one hour in length, and in five days your horse is thor- 
oughly broke and will be gentle to drive to the carriage. 

When working the horse, always use him on the soft ground where 
there are no stones ; always use knee protectors, as this guards 
against any accident happening. 

Question. How would you break a bad balker ? 

Answer. There are three or four kinds of balky horses; some 
are nervous and excitable, while others seem to have no ambition 
whatever. A dead-lifed balky horse, to my knowledge, is not worth 
breaking. All high-hfed balky horses can be brought under per- 
fect control and thoroughly broke by following these directions : 

Take your horse out and throw him repeatedly fifteen or twenty 
times ; then put on the bridle and the harness, running the lines 
through the thill strap and telling him to "get up," and stop and 
back by the word of command. Teach him this thoroughly before 
you place him before the wagon. If he will not move forward 



— 148 — 

when you give him the word, take a rope or a strap twenty feet long, 
tie around his neck, and then place through his mouth, making a 
half hitch on his lower jaw, having one of your men standing di- 
rectly in front of the horse with this rope in his hand, which I term 
as a guy line. When you give the word "get up," let him pull this 
rope at the same time, which will move the horse forward quickly. 
Now understand that the command and the pull of the rope must 




both take place at the same time, in order for you to have success. 
Practice this two days, not making the lessons over one hour in 
length, then hitching him to a light vehicle, first working with your 
horse quietly and afterwards giving him to understand what you 
want him to do. Never make any false motion, never lose your 
temper, and always have plenty of patience, and you will meet with 
victory. 

All Grades of Balky Horses. 



I am asked the question almost every day, "can you break a balky 
horse ?" Yes. "Can you break a balky horse so anybody can drive 



— 149 — 



him ?" No. "Why ?" Because it is impossible for me or any other 
man to break all the balky drivers in the land. Now there aie many 
grades of balky horses. It is a habit of a great many persons, when 
breaking a colt, to hitch him up first beside of an old farm horse 
that is lazy, blind in one eye, and so old that he is deaf. When you 
have got this nervous, excitable colt harnessed beside the old, slow 
horse, you then take up the lines and ask your team to go. The colt 
plunges ahead, the old horse having spent many days in the harness, 
takes life very easy and gradually gets in motion. The colt comes 
back, the load don't move. The next time you ask them to go the 
old horse moves ahead, the colt sits back in the breeching. " Ha ! 
ha ! " your neighbor says, " got a balky colt there." Not at all. You 
certainly will have if you persist in your present course. Take him 
out of the double harness, break him to drive single, and you will 
have no trouble with him, single or double. 

In handling a balky horse of long standing, one that has been 
spoiled by mismanagement, it is advisable to first throw him four or 
five times. Then put your harness on with an open bridle, running 
the lines through the thill straps, get behind him with a good whip, 
and teach him the words "get up." At the same time that you give 
him the command to move forward, hit him a cut with the whip, 
showing him that that means "move forward." Work with him in 
this manner for three or four lessons. You then tie a rope in the 
traces, carrying it around your back, and teach him to pull your 
weight, walking behind him. When you have got him so that he 
will turn right and left quickly, stop at the word "whoa," get up 
at the word and pull your weight, you can hitch him to a light road 
cart, getting into the wagon, giving him the word "get up, sir." If 
he should fail to go, have your assistant take a rope twenty feet long 
tie it around his neck, pass it through his mouth, back through 
the cord that you pass through his mouth, making a half hitch on 
the lower jaw. Let your assistant stand directly in front of the 
horse with the rope being slack. Hold your whip in the right hand, 
when you are ready to go give the word, and the man pulls the rope 
and you hit the horse with the whip, all at the same moment. If he 
don't move forward then, let the party who holds the rope step to 
the right and left, jerking his head until he moves forward, you using 
the words at each and every time, "get up, sir." Give him a few 



-vl50 — 

lessons for three or four days in this manner, and in the majority of 
cases you have got a horse that will pull. 

There are other balky horses that it is necessary to throw and. give 
a good whipping. This character of a horse is generally of a slug- 
gish disposition, and the only way that you can get it to go will be 
to frighten it with the whip. I had one horse that I could not work 
by any other means than as follows: I hitched him to a wagon and 
masked him to go, but he would not even straighten the traces. I got 
a man to take a good whalebone whip and stand at the side of the 
liorse and whip him over the end of the nose. This I kept up for 
-about ten minutes, just as hard as he could whip him. At the end 
of that time Mr. Horse got sick of balking and has never balked 
from that day. 

There are other horses that it will be necessary to handle in a 
more quiet manner, but in some cases you must use the whip to 
get the animal frightened, so that when you speak to him he knows 
that he must move forward. When working a horse you must not 
leave him until you conquer him, if it takes twenty-four hours. 
But understand me correctly, don't lose your temper, don't use a 
club, don't kick him ; use a good whip. Be careful and not hit him 
on the body or in the eyes. Use the whip on his legs and on his 
nose. I have started a great many balky horses by striking them 
With a whip around their front legs. This is a very tender spot and 
they won't stand long and take the punishment there. In working 
a balky horse, always keep a large stock of patience on hand, and 
don't think you are going to break him in two hours, because you 
are not. The moment he goes, reward him for it by giving him an 
apple. 

Question. How would you break a halter puller ? 

Answer. Take a strap fifteen feet long and throw it over his back; 
Teach under his body, take hold of the end of the strap and tie an 
ordinary slip-knot ; have this knot come directly under the horse's 
body ; place the strap between his front limbs up through the halter, 
and hitch to a post or to a ring in the manger; do not hitch the 
halter strap ; then step in front of your horse with tin pans, blank- 
ets, umbrellas, and all kinds of objects, in fact, everything, and 
frighten him and make him pull if possible. After pulling back 



— 151 



Upon this strap he will not make more than the second or third at- 
tempt. Eepeat these lessons twice a day for five days. This will 
break any horse of the habit of pulling on the halter if you follow 
my instructions. 




Question. How would you educate a horse not to be afraid of cars 
or steam ? 



Answer. In taking a horse up to the cars put on the "GleasoH 
Bridle" taking the rope in your left hand, with the whip in the 
right, making the horse follow you, and take him right up to the 
cars and hold him there. It is impossible for Mm to get away from 
you or this bridle. You then should caress him and teach him that 
the cars are not going to hurt him. One of the main objects of 
your lesson should be to teach the animal that you are his friend 
and protector ; get him to place confidence in you, and he will go 
through fire with you. 



— 152 — 

In driving a horse up to steam, I would advise the putting on of 
my double safety strap, and run the reins through the thill strap of 
the pad, and drive him first up to the steam. If he makes a deter- 
mined attempt to get away bring him to his knees. It may be 
necessary for you to use the guy strap, having a man hold the guy 
strap, that will hold the horse up to the steam ; but you must be 




yery careful not to get him burned or hurt him in any way, but 
teach him that the steam is perfectly harmless. As soon as the 
horse finds out that the steam will not injure him, you will find 
that in the second or third lesson he will walk right up to it from 
command of his master. Make your lessons short, but firm. I 
would advise, in training horses to steam, to take them up to a trac-< 
tion engine, or up to a mill where there is steam used, taking them 
to the cars afterwards. 



— 153 — 



Another good way of breaking a horse to the cars, is to hitch your 
horse up beside a heavy team horse, where he cannot get away, and 
after he has been driven up to the cars four or five times he is then 
safe to drive to your single wagon. 




Question. How would you break a shier ? 

Answer. I would first place upon him my double safety strap, 
which is thoroughly described elsewhere, and make him thoroughly 
acquainted with the beating of drums, the rattling of tin pans, floating 
the " Star Spangled Banner,'' and the shooting off firearms, fire 
crackers, music, &c, by driving him right up to them and giving 
him to understand he will not be hurt. And by repeating this lesson 
every day, for three or four days, your horse has become thoroughly 
conversant with them and will never show fear when approaching 
them. Always in giving these lessons to your horse, bear in mind 
that you must be very careful that none of the devices you use must 
hit him in such u manner as to cause pain. 



154- 




Showing- O. R. Gleason's Doable Safety Strap, Knee Pads, Ac. Also 
Janes run through King's on side of Surcingle, ready for operation. 




Showing Knee Pads as they should be Placed on Horse's Knees. Never 
Handle with the Safety Strap Unless you have these Pads to Protect 
his Knees. 



155 — 




Showing' position of Horse with one foot raised by the use of O. R. 
Crleason's Double .Safety Strap. This is one of the Greatest inventions 
of the ago for handling and controlling wild and vicious horses. More 
can he accomplished in thirty minutes than by any and all other 
methods in a day's time. 



Question. What do you think of the word "whoa ?" 

Answer. It is the greatest command that we have in horseman- 
ship ; it is the habit of almost every person when driving to con- 
tinually use the word "whoa." Now let me say to you that you 
should never use this word only when you want your horse or horses 
to stop. If you are driving along a street and you come to a cross- 
ing or a bad place and you wish your horses to slack up in speed, 
use this language to them : "Steady there, my boy;" but when you 
wish them to stop, speak out sharply and firmly "whoa." If you will 
practice this when you are driving your horse, in two weeks you 
will have him so that he will understand every command that you 
give him. 



— 156 — 

Never use one word with too many meanings. You must never 
lie to your horse and never deceive him or make false motions ; if 
you do you will never make a success as a trainer of the horse. 

Mankind are too apt to depend upon their own strength to beat the 
horse, without making any use of their reasoning powers to out- 
general him ; and, in many instances, such an exercise of tyranny 
over the horse only engenders a rebellious spirit on the part of the 
animal. Therefore, lay aside your strength and use your reason. 
Be moderate, be temperate. No man can become a good horseman 
and not have first learned to control himself before he attempts to 
control the animal. Be firm, be persevering, be honest. Never lie 
to your horse. Endeavor to have him understand what you want, 
and do not confuse him by attaching different meanings to the same 
word. It is quite common to say "whoa," when it is only intended 
to go slower ; or, when the horse has not stirred a foot, to let him 
know of your presence ; and then when you want a "whoa," when 
your life may depend upon your having a good "whoa" upon your 
horse, you find you have not got it. You have played it entirely out 
of him. Never say "whoa" unless you mean to stop right there. 
Speak always in a natural tone of voice, under all circumstances. 

Have your horse understand, by examination and experience, that 
the things liable to frighten are harmless, and be sure not to whip 
him for being frightened. Always let your horse face the object of 
fear ; and, when frightened, remember the slower you move your 
horse the more power you have over him. There are times when 
letting a horse trot is almost as bad as letting him run away. 

Fear is something a horseman should never exhibit in his counte- 
nance or voice, as the horse is a close observer, and soon learns to 
take advantage of such indications to become careless of control, if 
not indeed aggressive. Let your lessons be thorough but not very 
long. Be gentle and patient with the colt, but make the willful 
stubborn horse feel the full extent of your power, till he submits. 
Though if he should become much heated and excited, it is prudent 
to stop and repeat the lesson at some future time — repeat until there 
is thorough and unconditional submission. Let your treatment be 
characterized by gentleness afterwards. 



— 157- 

Question. How would you get a horse up when he throws him- 
self? 

Answer. Blow in his ear ; if he does not get up by this, take a 
glass of water, or a dish of water, and pour in his nostrils ; he will 
rise to his feet very quickly. And in the handling of a mustang, 
which becomes very stubborn and sulky, sometimes this treatment 
will fail on them, and it will be necessary to take a light whip and 
use it on the end of the nose. They will soon learn that when they 
throw themselves they are punished ; and when they don't tHey are 
rewarded. In this manner you teach them right from wrong. 

Question. How do you start a balky horse in double team? 

Answer. After you have taken your horse out and given him a thor- 
ough handling, then hitch him up beside an honest, true horse that 
will pull every time you ask him. Take a half-inch rope and tie 
around the balky horse's body, right in front of his hips, in an ordi* 
nary slip knot ; have this knot come directly on the side of the 
horse, then carry the rope over the wagon pole and hitch to the true 
horse's collar. Get into your wagon, pick up the reins, and hit the 
true horse a crack with the whip, saying, "Get out of here." When 
you do he will jump and take the rope with him, and when he does 
the balky horse must come. 

Question. How would you break a horse from being afraid of a 
dog or a hog ? 

Answer. Handle the same as for shiers. Keep one eye on the 
hog and one eye on the horse. In order to break your horse of this 
habit it will require five or six lessons. 

The best way to break your horse of being afraid of a hog is to 
take a small pig right into the buggy or break-wagon, or whatever 
you are using, having the horse worked with open bridle ; but be 
sure and have on my safety rope, as when he sees the pig and the pig 
squeals, you will find things will get very interesting ; but the mo- 
ment he starts to run say " whoa," sharp and firm, pull the safety 
rope and bring the horse to his knees. 



— 158 — 

If it is a dog that he is afraid of, let the dog run around him and 
in front of him; put the Gleason bridle on the horse and 
make him come up and smell of the dog ; walk around him. Then 
throw your horse and hold him down, and take the dog and put him 
on top of the horse. Work like this two or three days with the ani- 
mal, giving short lessons, and you have got the best broken hog and 
dog horse in the world. 

Question. How do you use the whip ? Do you believe in whip- 
ping a horse ? 

Answer. No lady or gentleman should ride or drive a horse with- 
out having with them a good whip. ' The whip in its place is a good 
instrument, but it is very often misused by parties ; for instance, 
how many do you see driving through the streets of our cities, and 
in our public parks, that if a horse becomes frightened at a bicycle or 
a band, or any object whatever, and he makes an attempt to shy, 
will get him by it the best way he can, and the moment he has passed 
the object out comes the whip with the words, "I'll teach you to shy," 
and the horse receives a severe punishment. The horse, not having 
the reasoning power that you have, believes that the punishment that 
he has just received has come from the object that he was so much 
frightened at. 

Question. How would you keep a horse from pawing in the stable ? 

Answer. Take a piece of chain seven inches long, not a plow chain, 
but trace chain ; tie on one end of that a piece of hard wood five 
inches long and one inch in diameter ; then take a strap and buckle 
around the horse's limb, above the knee, letting this chain and wood 
hang from the strap. Every time the horse paws this piece of wood 
will hit his limb, and as he cannot think of two things at one time, 
it will draw his attention in such a manner as to prevent him from 
pawing. 

Question. How would you keep a horse from kicking in the 
stall ? 

Answer. Take a piece of elastic about ten inches long, sew a vest 
buckle one end of it and buckle this around the horse's hind limb, 



159 




To keep a Horse from Kicking in the Stall. » - - "■ 



— 160 — 

above the hock joint. When the horse kicks the leader must ex- 
pand, the result is the elastic prevents it from doing so, and the 
horse's habit of kicking in the stall will soon be broken up. Never 
use a strap or rope ; if you do it will stop the circulation. In all 

cases use the elastic. 




Question. What do you think of whirling a horse by his tail ? 

Answer. If you have a horse bad to harness, or will not stand to be 
bridled or saddled, take the halter strap in your left hand, take hold 
of the horse's tail with your right hand, and whirl him around 
eight or ten times. He will become dizzy, and the moment you let 
go of him he will stagger or fall. Then say " whoa ; " pick up your 
saddle, harness or bridle, or whatever you want to put on him, and 
you will find that he will stand perfectly quiet. It is a quick and 
effective method. 

Never tie your horse's head and tail together, but follow the above 
instructions. 



— 161 — 

Question. How would you break a horse from switching his 
tail? 

Answer. Place on the horse a collar and hames, and then take 
hold of his tail. Take a wooden pin five inches long, one inch in 
diameter, lay directly across the hair of his tail, double the end of 
the tail over the pin ; then take a rope eight feet long, in the middle 




of the rope make a slip-knot and fasten over the end of the tail and 
pin ; then bring the horse's tail up over his back, bringing one of 
these ropes down to the ring of the hame and tying it, and on the 
other side in the same way; the rope prevents the tail from going 
either side ; take an ordinary cloth surcingle and put that over and 
around his body : leave the tail up in this manner for six hours ; if a 
very bad case, repeat 1hree times. This is the best method I ever 
used, and will surely do its work. 



— 1 62 — 



Question. 
crackers ? 



How would you educate a horse hot to be afraid of fire-* 



Answer. Hitch 'him to a wagon, put on my double safety strap, 
and drive him right up to the fire-crackers, and if he goes to turn 
around with you or run back or run away, pull the strap, which will 
immediately bring him to his knees, but do not hold the strap. As 
soon as he comes to his knees loosen the strap and pull the lines, 




using the command " whoa, sir." Now have boys throw fire-crackers 
under him, all around him, up in the air, and if he makes any at- 
tempt to get away say " whoa," sharp and firm. For you to meet 
with success with a horse of this character, or, in fact any horse, you 
must talk to him, always speaking distinctly and firmly. After you 
have given the horse two lessons he will pay no attention to fire- 
crackers. 



Question. How would 
paper and umbrellas ? 



— 163 



vou educate a horse not 



be afraid of* 



Answer. Put on my double safety strap, take your horse out into 
the field where there are boys with flags, paper, umbrellas, and drive 
him right up to the flags, paper, etc. ; if he makes any attempt to 
get away, bring him to his knees; if necessary, throw him; have 




ihe boys wave the flags over his head, throw the paper up in the air, 
put umbrellas over his head, drive him over the paper, drive him 
•over 1he flags, drive over the umbrella, make him step into it, stand 
on it, in fact, teach him that these objects are perfectly harmless. 
Two lessons a day for two days, not having the lesson over one hour 
in length, will thoroughly break your horse. The most dangerous 
shier can be thoroughly broken by following the above directions. 



Question. How would you break a plunger or bolter ? 

Answer. Put on my double safety strap, and when he plunges in 
the air pull the strap, w r hen he will come down on his knees. He 
•will not plunge over three or four times before he will be sick of his 
job. Then introduce him to drums, pans, bells, and, in fact, give 



— 164 — 

him a general handling in the same way that I control kickers. 
After giving two lessons he will not hother you ahout bolting or 
plunging. If he should bother you in bolting on the street, or at 
any certain place, take him right there and handle him with the 
safety strap. Tf he should be inclined to balk, use guy lines as laid 
down for breaking balky horses. 




Take four hame straps, or similar small straps, buckle one around 
each pastern. Then run a strap from the near side foot to the offside 
hind foot, passing it through the ring in the surcingle under the 
horse's body; also one from the off side front foot to the near side 
hind foot, leaving the straps loose enough to give the horse full use 
of his limbs in trotting or walking. When he kicks he will draw 
up his fore feet, striking on his knees. He will soon cease to kick. 



Question, How do you prevent a horse from putting his tongue 
out of his mouth over the bit ? 

Answer. Get a piece of sole leather seven inches long from point 
to point and three inches wide. (See engraving.) Lay a straight 
bar bit in the middle of the leather, bringing the points up together. 



165 




Maimer of Driving and Breaking a Bad Kicker when all other 
Methods Fail. 




To Prevent a Horse from Putting his Tongue Out of his Mouth Over 

the Bit. 



— 166 



Sew it on to the bit so it cannot turn, and sew up the sides. Put 
this in your horse's mouth over the tongue, running backwards to- 
ward the throat. He cannot get his tongue back far enough to get 
it over this leather. It is very simple, and will only cost you fifteen 
or twenty cents. It is the best I have ever used. 




Teaching- a Horse bow to Stand while Shooting- over his Back. 



Put on the Gleason bridle, take it firmly in your left hand and 
take a revolver loaded with blank cartridges in your right hand ; 
every time you discharge the revolver say "whoa" and pull the bridle 
sharply. Teach your horse that the sound and smoke from the re- 
volver will not hurt him. Work in this way for thirty minutes at 
a time ^or three or four days and your horse will pay no attention 
to firearms. 

With very nervous and excitable horses it is sometimes necessary 
to throw them and fire several times, showing them that they cannot 
get away, and that there is nothing to be afraid of. Follow these 



— 167 — 

instructions, and you will be surprised to see how quickly your horse 
will understand that you are not going to hurt him. 

How to approach a biting horse : Always do so with a revolver 
heavily loaded with blank cartridges in your right hand. Advance 
this hand toward the horse's mouth, the muzzle pointing past him, 
so the powder will not burn him. If he attempts to bite you, at 
that instant shoot off the revolver. Every time he makes the at- 




Revolver used by O. R. Gleason in defending* himself from the Monson's 
Biting' Stallion Rysdyk. 



tempt repeat the shooting. This causes the horse to think 
the biting causes the explosion ; this he wishes to avoid, and will soon 
cease to bite at you. The old theory of clubbing a horse only adds 
to and increases his vicious temper. This is an original method of 
my own, which I have successfully used in handling Rysdyk and 
many other vicious biting stallions. 

In leading horses in battle have the saddles made with a back- 
strap and crupper, having an inch ring attached to the crupper ; 
then have a strap four feet long with an ordinary driving snap sewed 
into each end of it. While riding, snap one of these snaps into the 
ring of the bit, then the other end of the strap into the ring of the 
saddle. In dismounting and hitching a large number of horses 
together, unsnap the line from the saddle and snap that into the ring 
on the crupper of the front horse, as seen in the above engraving. 
By this method two men are capable of controlling twenty horses at 
one time, leading them or holding them. The only extra cost would 
be attaching a back-strap and crupper, and the short four-foot line. 



— 168 — 




leading Horses in Battle. 




%/fr-'^- ^m^ 



169 




Cleaning Collars. 

They should be cleaned two or three times a week, collars that are 
in constant use, as the accumulations that gather upon the surface 
next the shoulder of the horse becomes rough and uneven. If it 
does not gall it irritates and annoys the horse when he is required 
to pull, causing him to try to avoid the irritation or pain, and often 
makes balky horses. 

Harness and Saddles. 

Harness used on all draft horses should be carefully cleaned reg- 
ularly once a week. Collars should be cleaned daily, thoroughly 
scraping all scurf arising from heating the horse from the collar be- 
fore it is used a second time. Always have your harness properly 
oiled and pliable, so that it will fit the horse as a boot fits a man. 

Saddles should have the same care and attention, and great pains 
should be taken that the saddle fits the back, to prevent galls and 
sores. This is almost universally neglected. 



170 




ESliliiiftoiiirti^ 1 ' 



Double Draw Check Rein. 

Use one-half of an ordinary kimble and jack check rein. Have a 
strap fourteen feet long, place the middle of this strap around the 
check hook, carry the ends up through the little rings in the kimble 
and jack rein, bring them back, pass them through the terret rings 
with the lines. Have a buckle sewed on the lines about six inches 
back of the rings. Buckle this check into the lines, and you have a 
bridle check that the harder you pull the higher you lift your horse's 
head. This check is used for driving kickers and runaway horses 
and very bad pullers. (See engraving). 

Question. How would you keep a horse from jumping over a fence ? 

Answer. Buckle around his body a surcingle with a two-inch ring 
directly under his body: take two straps with an inch ring in each 
end and buckle them around the horse's front limbs, above the knees ; 



— 171 — 



then take a strap thirteen inches in length with a driving strap in 
one end, strapping one of them into the ring on the off front limb; 




bring through the ring in surcingle and strap into ring on nigh front 
limb. The horse can walk and trot, lie down and get up, but he 




Showing Jiiinpiui; Kig- a<* used by O. R. <»lea«on to break Fence Junipers. 



— 172 — 

cannot run or jump, as he cannot move both front feet at the same 
time. This can be used upon colts as well as horses. 

Question. How would you keep a horse from tearing his blanket 
in the stall ? 




Answer. Sew a piece of leather about five inches square on each 
side of the halter, letting it come down even with his mouth ; when 
he reaches down to grab the blanket he will have to chew the leather. 



Question. How would you keep a horse from getting cast in 
the stall? 

Answer. Put on the horse a halter ; sew a ring in the halter over 
the horse's head ; on top of the stall drive a staple and ring ; at 
the side of the stall drive another staple and ring, take a rope 
ten feet long With a driving snap threaded into one end of it ; 
feed your horse from the floor with a manger of oats. When 



— 173 



your horse's head is down, snap this rope into the ring on top of 
the halter and pass up through ring over his head, through 
ring on side of the stall and hang a weight there ; that will 
take up the slack of the rope the moment that he raises his 
head. Hitch him in this way only ; he cannot roll over or get 
cast in the stall, as you will see it is impossible for him to turn, 
his head around. 




Question. What do you think of grooming a horse ? 

Answer. When you are grooming a horse you must remem- 
ber that horses are like people, some have a very thin skin and 
are very tender. One-half of the grooms of to-day when using their 
curry-combs and brush, bear on with the curry-comb as hard as 
possible, the result is that a thin skinned horse cannot and will 
not stand it. I have seen many high-bred horses, trotters and 
runners that have been made vicious biters and strikers, caused 
by ignorant grooming. Now when you find a horse that has a 
very thin skin run the curry-comb over him light and easy and 
soft as possible, getting most of the dust out with a good brush, 



— 174 — 

using directly after the brush straw, and rub him thoroughly 
ivith it ; then use a rubbing cloth, which will put on a polish. 
One of the best methods for cleaning and caring for a horse that 
has been driven fast and comes into the stable very warm, is to 
take a meal sack, turn it wrong side out with meal all over it, 
rub this meal right into the hair, rub him as near dry as possi- 
ble, put the blanket on him as soon as he is dry, then you can use 
the curry-comb and brush and clean the horse as usual ; this 
will leave him in fine condition. The meal will make the horse's 
.hair glossy and shine like a blackened boot. 




A horse should be cleaned but once a day, and this should be 
at night, after he has done his day's work ; in the morning 
merely straighten his coat and clean off what dirt may have col- 
lected in the stall during the night. My reason for giving a 
horse a thorough cleaning at night is the same that you would 
do yourself after a hard day's work ; taking a good wash and 
general cleaning up refreshes you wonderfully. 



— 175 — 

What is good for man is good for the horse ; they need the 
same care and treatment. This method, you must understand, 
I mean for work horses. 



Question. How do you teach a horse to back ? 

Answer. Put on the li Gleason Bridle," drawing the strap 
in your right hand, and stand at the horse's shoulder ; press 
your left hand upon his neck ; use the words "back, sir," and 
pull the strap at the same time. This will give the horse a 
severe jerk in the mouth and he will back four or five inches. 
The moment that he does so caress him and teach him that he 
has done right. Then repeat the lesson again and again, until 
shortly the horse will back any distance for you at the word of 
command. Some colts will be very stubborn and fight you for 
five or ten minutes ; but keep at them, always having plenty of 
patience, and at last you will gain your point. 

Question. What do you think of bitting a colt ? 

Answer. If nature has not designed the colt to have a high 
head and carriage no art of man can alter it, and the old fashion 
of strapping up the neck in an unnatural position and leaving 
it there for hours, in nine cases out of ten, results in a heavy 
headed lugger on the bit. I do not believe or endorse the 
working of the old-fashioned bitting reins. I simply use the 
Gleason Bridle, teaching the colt to turn his head quickly 
to the right and left, stopping at the word "whoa." I 
then take and put on an ordinary open bridle and straight 
bar bit, teaching him to guide by line quickly and easily ; 
working in this way with a colt for three or four days, 
then you can put on the check rein and check him up to 
his natural position. The next day you can check him a 
little higher, and the next day a little higher yet ; then you 
understand that the horse generally elevates his head, works 
pleasantly upon the bit, and you are not getting him mad nor 
breaking down his constitution by forcing and straining him 
with the old-fashioned bitting reins. 



— 176 — 

Question. How do you make your single riding bridle ? 

Answer. Take strap eight feet long ; place the middle of 
this strap on top of your horse's head, carry it down the side of 
his face, placing each strap through his mouth, bringing the 
ends up to the back, and the riding bridle is complete. 

This bridle is simple and useful, handy to ride a horse to 
pasture, or to exercise horses with. 

Question. How do you teach a horse to lie down at the word 
of command ? 

Ansiver. Take him out into a field or nice soft place and 
throw him twelve or thirteen times, using the words "lie down/' 
plain and distinct. After you throw him, let him lie quietly 
for about five minutes ; caress him ; feed him an apple. Do 
not make your lessons over an hour long. The third day, by 
taking a little riding-whip and touching him on the knees, 
using the command " lie down/' he will obey you quickly. 




(*leaKOii*K Simple Killing Bridle. 



In order to make this bridle, take a piece of strap nine feet long, 
place the middle of it over the top of the horse's head, bringing 
it down over the cheeks, pass through the mouth from each 
side, bring the ends up and use as reins. This is very simple 
and will often be found very useful to the farmer. 



177 




A <>eiitleiiian*s> Koa<I Horse. 




A Good General Business Horse. 



— 178 — 

Question. How would you educate a horse not to be afraid of 
fire-arms or gunpowder ? 

Answer. Throw him and hold him down, taking a revolver 
loaded with blank cartridges, fire it off in the air. If he makes 
a move to get up make him lie down by pulling the strap ; re- 
peat this and make the lesson thirty or forty minutes. The next 
day give him another lesson and in three days you have taught 
your horse so that he will pay no attention to the report of a 
gun. The theory of this is very simple. All that you have got 
to do is to convince a horse that you are his iriend and he is not 
going to be harmed. 

Question. How would you educate a horse not to be afraid of 
buffalo robes, blankets, etc.? 

Answer. Take the Gleason Bridle and put on to his head, 
holding the strap in your right hand ; take the buffalo robe or 
blanket and hold up to the horse's nostrils ; let him smell of it ; 
at first he will make a desperate attempt to get away from you ; 
as he does, you pull upon the bridle, using the words " stand, 
sir \" then let him smell of them again, and every time that he 
makes an attempt to get away from it tighten upon the bridle, 
and always talk to your horse, using the words " stand still, 
that will not hurt you/' or any other words that you may think 
proper. Eepeat these lessons three or four times, throwing the 
robe over his head, making him walk over it, and teach him 
that you are his friend and protector. In a short time he will 
gain confidence in you, and whatever you ask him to do he will 
be willing to perform. 

- Question. How would you break a horse from biting in the 
stall ? 

Answer. Use the Gleason Bridle, having the long strap hang 
over the side of the stall where you can reach it handy, and 
when you go in by the side of the horse, if he makes any attempt 
to kick at you, strike or bite, give him a severe pull upon this 
strap, at the same time using the words "take care, take care, 
sir." 



— 179 — 

This bridle is very valuable for teaching horses to follow you. 
Take hold cf the strap with your left hand, stand directly in 
front of your horse, taking a buggy whip in your right hand ; 
you crack the whip and say "come here/' at the same time 
pulling the rope. Keep practicing this on the horse for 20 or 




Showing? Double Safety Strap on Off Horse in Double Team. Used in 
Driving a Bolter or Plunger or any General .Heao Horse in Double 
Harness. 

30 minutes ; he will soon understand that when you crack the 
whip that it means for him to come to you. As soon as he 
comes to you pat him or caress him, feed him an apple, and 
after you have given him two or three lessons you can call him 
from almost any distance by the crack of the whip. 



Question. What do you think of clipping horses ? 

Answer. For driving horses who have a thick coat of very 
long hair, I would recommend clipping, for in such cases the 
horse can be much more easily taken care of, and really, I think 
he is benefited by it. But, in all cases, when you remove na- 
ture's covering you must substitute another, in the way of warm 



180 




blankets, &c. When a horse's coat of long, thick hair is allowed 
to remain as nature has calculated it, as a protection from the 
cold, storms and rigors of winter, when taken out and speeded 
the perspiration arising from his body , causes his hair to become 
thoroughly saturated, and then when he comes to stand still, it 
becomes cold and consequently chills the horse through, and not 
only makes him very uncomfortable, but he is quite liable to 
take cold and have inflammation of the lungs, "epizootic," &c. 
Whereas, if this coat of thick and long matting of hair, which 
gets so sour when it becomes wet, and, as all horsemen know, 
always retains the dust and excrements of the horse's body, is 
removed and proper care is taken of covering him, his coat can 
be kept looking so much nicer and with less labor, and the 
horse's skin will be in a more healthy condition. The same rule 
will apply to work horses, if they can have the same care. 

The question is often asked me if I approve of clipping the 
fetlock. I answer, Yes, on driving horses only. All team horses 
and heavy draft horses should be left their natural fetlocks. 
After driving your horse in muddy weather, let the mud dry on 



181 



his feet and legs. Then clean it off with a brush. Do not 
wash your horse upon coming in from a muddy drive. By fol- 
lowing my instructions in this particular you will prevent 
scratches, greased heels and many other disagreeable diseases of 
the leg. 

The Celebrated "Gleason Bridle." 

For training and handling horses of all vicious habits, no ropes or 
cords to lacerate the mouth is recommended by me. 




Having up to this time, during niv professional career' used ropes 
in lieu of straps, for my Bonaparte and Eureka bridles, I now 



— 182 — 

abandon the rope entirely on many accounts and have made and patent- 
ed a bridle constructed of leather and iron rings of which the preced- 
ing engraving is an exact illustration, and is described as follows: 

A A is a mouth piece or loop for the lower jaw of the horse to pass 
through, leaving upper part of loop in horse's mouth and lower part under 
his jaw. The part of loop in the mouth is round to guard against a 
possibility of lacerating the tongue or mouth of the horse. 

B B is an iron ring, one inch in diameter, each side of the mouth, sewed 
into loop A A. 

C C is a strap three feet long, that passes directly over the head close to 
the ears, with a buckle so as to take it up or let it out to suit the horse's 
head you are going to handle. 

D D is a solid, heavy iron ring, one and one-half inches in diameter, 
sewed on strongly to strap C C, and is used for strap E E to pass through. 

E E is a half-inch strap of leather, fifteen feet long, one end of which is 
sewed into ring B B on the off side of the horse's head. This strap is then 
passed over his neck to his withers, is then brought down through ring 
B B, on near side, then up through ring D D, then brought down through 
ring B B.; the long end of strap E E is held in the right hand, this 
gives a man power to control a vicious horse who is afraid of buffalo 
robes and umbrellas, to lead a horse up to steam or anything he is afraid 
of, also to control or handle any vicious horse, as the bearing comes 
directly on the horse's neck by the strap E E and pressure upon the brain 
by the strap C C. The entire bridle consists of three pieces. 




BrMle Displayed upon tne Horse's Head and Ready for Operation. 



183 



This bridle will be known as the " Gleason Bridle," and used by 
him in handling all wild and vicious horses. 

When you pull upon the long strap, yon will find the horse will 
quickly follow yon, and can be made to stop at the word " whoa ! " or 
obey any command you may give him, and there is no danger of making 
his mouth sore. 




Several Forms of Using J5ri<Ile with Strap rim down through King on 

Mouthpiece. 



When used as in engraving above, is for training horses to be 
familiar with buffalo robes, umbrellas, drums, paper, steam and all 
other objects. In presenting an umbrella to your ' horse, take it in 
your left hand and the long strap in your right hand, letting the 
horse smell of the umbrella, then opening it and letting him look 



— 184 — 

into it, then holding it over his head, then raising it and lowering it, 
and alternately doing this until he is used to it. Then you can open 
and shut it without his making any move or seeming to notice it, and 
by being thorough in handling him with all objects he is afraid of, 
he will soon become familiar with them all. 

The owner of one of these books has the right to have manufac- 
tured one of these bridles for his own use, but not the right to sell 
or manufacture for sale, as they will be furnished to any person in 
want of one upon an order sent to my headquarters. 




i*A-«f. O. K. Gleason's Wonderful Eureka Bridle. 



To make this bridle, take a small piece of rope ten feet long, tie it 
round the animal's neck in a slip knot, then bring the rope down 
through his mouth on the off side, then pass the rope back through 
the cord that you have tied around the horse's neck. Now pull down 
upon the rope snugly, then pass rope over his head, close to his ears, 
then bring rope down on the off side of his face through his mouth, 
then pass the rope back and tie into the rope around his neck. This 
bridle is to be used to make a horse stand to be shod, harnessed, sad- 
dled, clipped, sore eyes treated, sore back treated ; it is also used to 
make horses familiar with buffalo robes, umbrellas, paper, blankets. 



— 185- 



To accomplish this work and expedite matters, first let him smell of 
the object, then present them to him in any way yon may choose, 
being careful not to inflict pain. 




Prof. O. K. Gleasoii-s Famous Bonaparte Bridle used by Him *inee 1875. 



The above engraving shows the bridle in backward actions for 
teaching a horse to back and stop at word of command. This is a 
cord fifteen feet in length, with a stationary loop tied atone end just 
large enough to slip over the horse's lower jaw. Put it on the horse's 
lower jaw; bring it over the middle of the neck from the oft* side; 
pass downward through the loop on near side; bring up the lower 
eorner of cheek-bone on near side; hold there with right thumb, 
pass the slack through mouth from near side; bring over neck just 
behind ears from off side ; then through loop held by thumb. Don't 
fasten. Hold the long end in your right hand and take it back, and 
you then have a most powerful bridle which will effectually stop any 
horse, no matter how unruly or vicious, by merely giving it a sharp 
jerk, and saying " take care'* when the horse tries to kick. To 
make a horse come to you at word, stand oft' eight feet with this 
cord in your hand, and say " come here," at the same time giving 



— 186 — 

the cord a strong pull, ivhich you will find will draw the animal 
very quickly. Step to the other side of the horse and repeat again 
and again for about ten minutes. Every time he obeys, caress him, 
and in a very short time you will have a horse that will watch you 
as closely and follow you as well as your dog. This bridle can be 
also used for animals afraid of bicycles, etc., and liable to run away. 
This bridle may also be used to break a horse afraid of umbrellas or 
buffalo robes, as follows : Place on the horse the bridle as seen in en- 
graving. Present the umbrella or buffalo robe, allowing him to 
smell of it ; then rub it across his nose and head ; open it gently, at 
the same time allow him to smell of it several times ; work gently 
till he becomes reconciled to it, and in a few lessons you will be able 
to use the umbrella in any place around him. 




This Shows the Forward Action of treason's Bonaparte Bridle. 



To be used as represented in above illustration when teaching a 
horse to come to you quickly. Take the cord in the left hand and 
your whip in the right hand, standing directly in front of the ani- 
mal. Now pull the cord and strike him lightly with the whip 
around the hind legs, and say " come here," and when he obeys your 
command pat him gently on the neck, and repeat this as often as is 



— 187 — 

necessary, to make him thoroughly understand what you want. I want 
it distinctly understood, that I do not approve of the use of ropes in 
handling horses, and have only mentioned them in some of my de- 
scriptions of how to handle them for the convenience of the farmer, 
when they have no other opportunity of getting the straps which 
are always preferred, (See engraving of my new leather bridle.) 




The m O. R. Glcasou lireafc Harness." Patent applied for. 



— 188 — 
The Gleason Break Harness in Parts. 

PATENT APPLIED FOR. 




Breechina- and Back Strap. 



Patent Bridle and Bit. 





Belly and Hold- back Straps. 



Breast Collar. 



— 189 — 

In describing the Break Harness, T will say it is so constructed that 
it can be put on in parts or taken off in parts. It can be used with 
back-strap and crupper, taken off also with breeching. The safety 
rope can also be applied when using this harness without interfering 
in the least with each other. The reader can see by the illustration on 
page 187 that it is put together with snaps. Any of my readers want- 
ing such harness I will furnish them with one set complete for $25. Or 
to any person owning one of my books I will grant the right for them 
to get one made for his own use, but not to sell or cause to be sold. 




The above engraving is a fac simile of my famous " Break AY agon," 
by which the reader will readily see the fore wheels can turn right 
under the seat, there being no reach to obstruct their passage, per- 
mitting me to make very short turns, which is necessary, as my ex- 
hibitions are given upon theatrical stages often, and want of room 
in such cases caused me to originate the above Avagon. It is so 
constructed that it can be taken apart and packed in trunks and thus 
transported over the country. Tt is very complete in all its points, 
and I have applied for a patent on it. I have handled over two 
thousand head of vicious horses with it, and it is still sound. It cost 
me $500 dollars to get it manufactured. 

Any of my readers wanting such a wagon can obtain it through me. 



190 




The above engraving illustrates the use of my single foot-strap, 
which, the reader will readily see, gives the driver a double purchase 



— 191 — 

on the horse's foot and is quickly explained. The end being snapped 
into large iron ring, which is sewed strongly to the surcingle under 
the horse's belly, passed through the ring attached to strap at the 
fetlock joint, and back through the ring in surcingle. Taking end of 
strap in left hand, you can break a horse of the following habits : from 
rearing in the air, bolting off sideways, teach him the word "whoa/* 
etc., etc. 




The above engraving illustrates the use of my guy line, used for 
starting balky horses and teaching colts to turn to the right or left. 
A man stands directly in front or to the right or left, as the case 
may be, and is controlled wholly by the driver, who sits in the wagon 
and whose commands he must listen to and strictly obey, so that 
the working of both men may be in unison, and by giving the horse 



192 — 



short lessons, not more than an hour's length per day for say two or 
three days, the horse will become thoroughly broke and subdued. 
It will also be found very useful in handling a horse who is stubborn 
^nd wants to go on one street while you desire to go another. 




— 193 — 

The engraving opposite illustrates the manner of educating a colt 
to pull in the harness by taking hold of the traces in the left hand and 
pulling gently back on them while he moves forward, getting him 
,used to.the pressure of the collar on his breast. After which he may be 
hitched to a two-wheeled vehicle, and taking care in giving the first 
lessons to select some level ground for the work, and make no false 
motions, never lie to him or deceive him. I condemn all bitting 
harness. It is certainly cruelty to animals to use them. It is a 
mistaken idea of any man to entertain to presume he can change 
the form or frame of a horse that was made by Dame Nature's own 
handiwork. 




The above engraving illustrates a soldier shooting off his gun over 
the horse's back, and when giving the horse his first lesson in this 
part of his education, use the Grleason Bridle, and you always have 
your horse under control, for when he steps or moves while you are 
discharging your weapon, by simply tightening up on the rope or 
strap and commanding him to stand, he will become accustomed to 
it, so that he will soon pay no attention to the report. Give him 
two lessons a day for one week, and you will soon have an animal 
that you can discharge a cannon over his back and he will take no 
notice of it. 



— 194 — 




The above engraving illustrates the manner of branding a horse, 
showing where the brand should be placed, and which should be 
regulated by a law of the United States. Parties owning ranches 
where branding is necessary, should brand the horse on the left hind 
foot, and that brand should be registered. I recommend that the 
United States Government adopt this method in branding its horses. 



Question. How would you handle a wild mustang ? 

Answer. In handling a wild mustang or any wild vicious horse, 
many times they are so dangerous that it is impossible to approach 
them with safety. I will lay down a rule to handle a wild and vicious 
mustang or western bronco. Take a half-inch rope fifty feet long, 
make a slip noose in one end of it, lay this on the ground, making a 
large loop about three and one-half feet across it, then lead the 
bronco into it, his frout feet standing in the loop, as seen in the 
above engraving. The moment that he gets into the rope pull 
the rope, which will bring his two front limbs together ; you 
pull to the left and the man that has hold of the bronco or 
mustang pull to the right ; you will at once bring him to his 
back, as seen in the following engraving. Now you can take the 
mustang and put on my double safety strap and the driving bridle 
and handle him the same as I have laid down for handling any 



— 195 — 

vicious animal, kickers or runaways. In working mustangs, let me 
say that you must work them slow and easy ; their lessons should 
not be over thirty minutes' long. Repeat them twice a day and in 
one week the mustang is ready to drive. In working this animal al- 
ways use a great deal of judgment and plenty of patience ; never 




show your temper ; whatever they do is not because they are vicious, 
but because they are afraid that you are going to hurt them, and they 
are of a wild nature. They can be easily brought under control by 
kind and gentle treatment. 



The following cut is to illustrate to the reader the position of man 
and horse, with the animal's fore feet in the lariat loop ; you should 
now pull the rope quickly, and you should step to the right, while 
your assistant, who is holding the halter strap, steps to the left, and 



— 196 — 




the engraving below will show the horse as thrown. The man who 
hods the halter strap quickly passes down the horse's back to his 
hips and pulls the horse's head to his shoulder, thereby preventing 




— 197 — 

him from getting up. Xow put on your driving bridle, surcingle 
and safety strap. Commence the training by letting him get up and 
handling him the same as a runaway, kicker or colt. 

Will You Answer these Questions ? 

Can a cribbing horse be cured ? No. 

( an ringbones be cured ? Xo. 

Can spavins be cured ? Xot after they have become seated. 

Can heaves be cured ? No. 

Can shoe boils be cured ? Xo. 

Can blindness be cured ? Xo. 

Can nervicular lameness be cured ? Xot after long standing. 

Can splints be cured ? Xo. 

Do you approve of condition powder ? Yes, if made fresh every 
spring from receipts given in my book. Condition powders that lie 
in stores for five or ten years are not very valuable. The strength 
of the medicine must be gone. I would advise all horse owners not 
to waste their money in buying such trash. 

Can contracted feet be cured ? Xo. 

Can sprung knees be cured ? Xo. 

Can curb be cured ? Xo. 

Can bog spavin be cured ? Xo. 

Can a meaner be cured ? Xo. 

Can a corn from long standing be cured ? Xo. 

Question, How would you break a yoke of steers and a kicking 
cow ? 

Answer. First get your steer into a room or small yard, so that 
he can not run from you ; then approach, him slowly, and if he runs 



— 198 — 

do not be in a hurry, but wait until he gets to the end orHhe room 
or yard ; then approach him slowly, as before. A steer may run 
from you in this way several times ; but do not try and stop him 
with your whip, or force him to think that he will be at all injured, 
until he will stand and suffer you to approach him. As soon as this 
is accomplished gently tie a rope around his body near the shoulders, 
rather loosely. Then take another strap or rope, and gently fasten 
one end to the near fore foot ; then pass the other end over the rope 
or surcingle, beneath the body. This rope should be sufficiently 
long to allow him to run to the end of the yard without your moving, 
at the same time you holding the rope sufficiently firm o compel 
him to move on three legs. Then approach him again quietly, and 
so continue until he will allow you to approach and handle him as 
you please. Now take a short hold of the strap with your left hand, 
your whip in the right, which pass over his shoulders, and quietly 
touch him on the off-side of the head, at the same time saying, 
" haw/' and continue this until he moves his head a little toward 
you. They understand what you require of them while yoked to- 
gether. 

If your steers have learned to run away from you, which is a com- 
mon result of the ordinary method of training, put on the rope and 
strap to the foot. If hitched to a wagon or sled, let your man 
hold the foot- strap, which runs back between the steers, and the 
moment they attempt to run away he pulls up their feet, while you 
whip them over the head, which will stop them immediately and in 
%a short time break up the habit. 

Kicking Cows. 

It "isnatural for the cow to stand while being milked, consequently 
the heifer knows nothing about kicking until hurt or frightened 
into it. The lesson in regard to heifers is therefore perfectly plain. 
Be careful and not hurt or frighten them. If by accident you should, 
and they kick, do not punish them for it. Kindness and gentle 
handling is the only remedy. If your cow kicks, let your reasoning 
for the cause be based upon the principle that she never kicked un- 
til she was injured, and the remedy will at once suggest itself. No 
cow was ever broken of kicking by striking with the stool or other 



— 199 — 

weapon. This practice only puts the cow on her guard, and as you 
come near her with the stool she uses nature's defense and kicks. 
Handle her gently. If she walks off or kicks, pay no attention to it, 
using no loud words or blows. If her teats are sore, she is quite lia- 
ble to do either ; and you must have patience till they are healed. 
In our experience we have never found a confirmed kicker in a yard 
where kindness was a characteristic of the family who handled the 
dairy. On the contrary, we have found plenty of them where 
quarreling, loud words, and general bad temper prevailed. 

Ladies' Equestrian Horsemanship. 

The saddlery for the use of the ladies is similar in principle 
to that devoted to gentlemen's riding, with the exception that 
the bits and reins of the bridle are lighter and more orna- 
mental and the saddle furnished with crutches for side riding ; 
the reins are narrower than those used by the gentlemen, but 
otherwise the same. The saddle should be carefully fitted to 
the horse and there should always be a third crutch, the use of 
which will hereafter be explained. There is an extra leather girth, 
which keeps the flaps of the saddle in their places. The stirrup 
may be either like a man's with a lining of leather or velvet, or 
it may be a slipper, which is safer and also easier to the foot. 
The lady's whip is a light affair, but as her horse ought seldom 
to require punishment, it is carried more to threaten than to 
give punishment. A spur may be added for a lady's use ; it is 
sometimes needful for the purpose of giving a stimulus at the 
right moment. If used, it is buckled on to the boot, and a 
small opening is made in the habit with a string attached to the 
inside, which is then tied around the ankle, and thus keep the 
spur always projecting beyond the folds of the habit. A nose 
martingale is generally added for ornament ; but no horse which 
throws his head up is fit for ladies' use. The lady's horse ought 
to be a most perfect goer, instead of being, as it often is, a stupid 
brute, fit only for a dray. 

Many me/i think that any horse gitfed with a neat outline will 
carry a lady ; but it is a great mistake ; and if the ladies them- 
themselvey, had the choice of horses they would soon decide to the 
contrary. The only thing in their favor, in choosing a lady's horse, 



— 200 — 

is that the weight to be carried is generally light, and therefore 
a horse calculated to carry them is seldom fit to mount a man, 
because the weight of the male sex is generally so much above 
that of an equestrian lady. Few of this sex who ride are above 
one hundred and thirty pounds, and most are below that weight. 
But in point of soundness, action, mouth and temper, the lady's 
horse should be unimpeachable. A gentleman's horse may be 
good yet wholly unable to canter and so formed that he cannot 
be taught ; he, therefore, is unsuited to a lady ; but, on the 
other hand, every lady's horse should do all his paces well. 
Many ladies, it is true, never trot ; but they should not be fur- 
nished with the excuse that they cannot because their horses 
will not. In size, the lady's horse should be about fifteen hands 
or from fourteen and a half to fifteen and a half ; less than this 
allows the habit to trail in the dirt, and more, makes the horse 
too lofty and unwieldy for a lady's use. In breaking a lady's 
horse, if he is of good temper and fine mouth, little need be 
done to make him canter easily, and with the right leg foremost. 
This is necessary, because the other leg is uncomfortable to the 
rider from her side position on the saddle. The breaker, there- 
fore, should adopt the means elsewhere described, and persevere 
until the horse is quite accustomed to the pace, and habitually 
starts off with the right leg. He should also bend him thor- 
oughly, so as to make him canter well on his hind legs and not 
with the disturbed action which one so often sees. The curb 
must be used for this purpose, but without bearing too strongly 
upon it. The horse must be brought to his pace by fine hand- 
ling rather than by force, and by occasional pressure, which he 
will yield lo and play with if allowed, rather than by a dead pull. 
In this way, by taking advantage of every inch yielded, and yet 
not going too far, the head is gradually brought in and the hind 
legs as gradually are thrust forward, so as instinctively to steady 
the mouth and prevent the pressure which is feared. When 
this "sitting on the haunches" is accomplished, a horse cloth 
may be strapped on the near side of the saddle to accustom him 
to the flapping of the habit ; but I have always found in an ordi- 
nary good tempered horse, that, if the paces and mouth were all 
perfect, the habit is sure to be borne. 

It is a kind of excuse which gentlemen are too apt to make 
that their horses have never carried a lady ; but if they carry a 



— 201 — 

gentleman quietly they will always carry a lady in the same 
style, though they may not perhaps be suitable to her seat or 
hand. The directions for holding the reins, and for their use, 
elsewhere given, apply equally well to ladies, the only difference 
being that the knee prevents the hand being lowered to the 
pommel of the saddle. This is one reason why the neck requires 
to be more bent foi the gentleman's use, because, if it is straight, 
or at all ewe-necked, the hands being high raise the head into 
the air and make the horse more of a '< star-gazer " than he 
otherwise would be. Many ladies hold the reins as in driving. 
It is in some respects better, because it allows the hand to be 
lower than the gentleman's mode, and the ends of the reins fall 
better over the habit. In mounting, the horse is held steadily, 
as for a gentleman's use, taking care to keep him well up to the 
place where the lady stands, from which he is very apt to slide 
away. The gentleman assistant then places his right hand on 
his right knee, or a little below it, and receives the lady's left 
foot. Previously to this she should have taken the rein in her right 
hand, which is placed on the middle crutch, then, with her left 
hand on the gentleman's shoulder and her foot in his hand, she 
makes a spring from the ground and immediately stiffens her 
left leg, using his hand, steadied by his knee, as a second foun- 
dation for a spring, and then she is easily lifted to her seat by 
the hand following, and finishing her spring with what little 
.force is required. As she rises the hand still keeps hold of the 
crutch, which throws the body sideways on the saddle, and then 
she lifts her right knee over the middle crutch. After this she 
lifts herself up from the saddle, and the gentleman draws her 
habit from under her until smooth, he then places her left foot 
in the stirrup, including with it a fold of her habit, and she is 
firmly seated, and should take her reins and use them as directed 
for the gentleman. The great mistake which is constantly made 
in mounting is in the use of the lady's knee^ which should be 
carefully straightened the moment it can be effected, for if kept 
bent it requires a great power to lift a lady into the saddle, 
whereas, with a good spring and a straight knee, she ought to 
weigh but a few pounds in the hand. The lady's seat is very 
commonly supposed to be a weak one, and to depend entirely 
upon balance ; but this is the greatest possible mistake, and. 
there can be no doubt, from what is seen in private as well as in 



— 202 — 

the circus, that it requires as great an effort of the horse to dis- 
lodge a good female rider as to produce the same effect upon a 
gentleman. Even with the old single crutch there was a good 
hold with the leg, but now that the third is added, the grip is 
really a firm one. When this is not used the crutch is laid hold 
of by the right leg and pinched between the calf of the leg and 
the thigh, so as to afford a firm and steady hold for the whole 
body, especially when aided by the stirrups. But this latter 
support merely preserves the balance, and is useful also in 
trotting. It does not at all give a firm, steady seat, though it 
adds to one already obtained by the knee. When two crutches 
are used, the leg is brought back so far as to grasp the crutch as 
before, but between the two knees the two crutches are firmly 
laid hold of, the upper one being under the right knee and the 
lower one above the left. The right knee hooked over the 
crutch keeps the body from slipping backwards, while the left 
keeps it from a forward motion, and thus the proper position is 
maintained. In all cases the right foot should be kept back and 
the point of the toe should scarcely be visible. These points 
should be carefully kept in view by all lady riders, and they 
should learn as soon as possible to steady themselves by the 
grasp of the crutches without reference to the stirrup-iron. In 
spite of her side seat, the body should be square to the front, 
with the elbow easily bent and preserved in its propper position 
by the same precaution. The whip is generally held in the right 
hand, with the lash pointing forward and towards the left, and 
by this position it may be used on any part of the horse's body 
by reaching over to the left and cutting before or behind the 
saddle, or, with great ease, on the right side. Its use may, there- 
fore, in all cases be substituted for the pressure of the leg in the 
description of the modes of effecting the change of leg, turning 
to the left or right, or leading with either leg. With this substi- 
tution, and with the caution against all violent attempts at 
coercion, which are better carried out by the fine hand and 
delicate tact of the lady, all the feats which man can perform 
may well be imitated by her. In dismounting, the horse is 
brought to a dead stop, and his head held by an assistant. The 
lady then turns her knee back again from the position between 
the outside crutch, takes her foot out of the stirrup, and sits 
completely sideways. She then puts her left hand on the 



— 203 



gentleman's shoulder, who places his right arm around her 
waist and lightly assists her to the ground. 



My Idea as to the Proper Methods to Pursue in Reg- 
ulating and Managing a Government Farm. 

The United States Government owns ten thousand horses and five 
thousand mules, the great majority of which are in the West on the 
frontier. This stock is renewed each year at a cost of thousands of 
dollars. They buy hundreds of horses every year, of these the 
greater part are " broncos," or Western bred horses. These horses 
cost the government an average of one hundred and eighteen dollars 
each, and are only saddle broken, which means that they have been 
ridden two or possibly three times each by a "bronco-buster." These 
same horses can be bought at an average price of forty-five dollars 
per head, wild. 

What the government needs, and badly needs, is a government 
farm. This should be an immense ranch, conveniently located on 
the frontier, where there would be an extensive range, fertile soil and 
at a point where it would be protected from the extremes of heat 
and cold. It should be made to effect a three-fold purpose. 1. The 
breeding of horses adapted to the uses of the army. 2. The train- 
ing and education of such horses. 3. To provide a hospital and re- 
cuperating station for government horses. 

1. It is an unquestioned fact that the horses yearly bought for 
the army are poorly suited to its needs. They are scrub-bred, crosses 
mostly from heavy draft stallions upon the light Indian pony, and 
and while the product are good sized horses, they are lacking in 
many of the essential qualities of a war horse. 

The government needs three distinct styles of horses, and these it 
cannot obtain in any other way than by breeding them. We want a 
cavalry horse, fleet, nervy, powerful — the English hunter is probably 
the best type of horse for this purpose. We want artillery horses, 
horses that can hurry the heavy guns forward in battle. They 
should be short-limbed and close jointed, combined with strength 
and endurance-^such horses as we try to buy for our fire engines. 
We want short-legged, powerful animals, for heavy hauling. 



— 204 — 

As private citizens we have learned to some trifling extentihe ne- 
cessity of breeding horses for special purposes. Trotters don't emi- 
nate from dung-hills, nor do running horses spring up unsought 
from the farm or plain. These horses are bred for the especial pur- 
pose of getting speed out of them, and men spend their life in the 
selection and breeding of horses for speed. The government, how- 
ever, which pre-eminently needs the best of horses, horses that it 
cannot buy from horse breeders, as such horses are not raised here, 
is content with scrubs from the West and cart horses from the Mid 
die States. 

2. There is no training school for government horses. Private 
citizens who are best informed send their horses to professional horse 
trainers, that they may have animals able and willing to carry out 
their every wish. The government allows each soldier to train his 
own horse by the mere power of force of habit. These soldiers 
Imow little or nothing about a horse, and the proper way to handle 
him, in order to get the most out of him, and often valuable horses 
are spoiled, or at best but poorly broken to the service for which 
they are intended. Soldiers are trained and educated by men who 
have learned the proper method of educating a soldier, but horses 
upon whose trustworthiness and ability success largely depends, 
are allowed to go into engagements with the half training that 
a soldier can give them. 

On this government farm there should be built a large training 
academy, in charge of a thorough horseman, and every horse that 
leaves the farm for active service should have been trained and edu- 
cated by this horseman in all respects and as thoroughly as the sol- 
dier who is to ride him in battle. 

Even if the government should not breed its own horses, the 
educating school is not only a very valuable adjunct to the army, 
but would prove a profitable investment. As I have already said, 
green broncos can be bought at almost one-third what the govern- 
ment pays for them "saddle broken," and such horses could be 
broken, trained and educated in this training academy at the same 
cost or but a trifle more, that they could be educated for war after 
being saddle-broken — this being an immense saving to the govern- 
ment every year. 

3. When a horse is out of condition and is condemned by the in- 



— 205 — 

spector, the government sells it at public sale, and in this manner 
has sold thousands of really valuable animals that a short rest and 
proper treatment would have rendered as good for service as ever. 

I advocate the establishment on a government farm of a horse hos- 
pital, where horses that are condemned can be sent, properly doc- 
tored and handled and allowed to recuperate their strength and 
health. The government has thrown away thousands and thousands 
of dollars by having no such infirmary in the past, and I feel assured 
that it will be simply a question of a short time till this scheme ap- 
proves itself to Congress and the people. 

I do not advocate that this government farm should be simply a 
great Western ranch, but a farm in every sense of the word. Here 
all the grain and food used on the place should be raised. It should 
be under the management of a horseman of known and recognized 
ability, and the hospital should be in charge of the best veternarians 
that the country affords. 

Xot only would this farm enable Tncle Samuel to give to his 
soldiers the best of saddle horses, the best of artillery animals and 
to his teamsters strong powerful brutes, but it would be of incalcula- 
ble benefit to the people at large. The farmers throughout the land 
have not yet learned the necessity of breeding their horses with care. 
"A colt's a colt" is still the saying, and to pay out a good price for a 
stallion fee, is considered in many sections as the height of folly. 
After a few years of successful operation the surplus from this farm 
could, if deemed advisable, be sold to the farmers at a reasonable 
profit to the government, but still at prices which would place the 
best of animals at the service of farmers, and so do a great deal 
towards raising the standard of our horses. 

I believe that within a very short time Congress will look into 
the merits of this plan and adopt it, at least in its leading particu- 
lars. 

Shipping Horses. 

We need a law relating to the shipment of horses in cars. It is 
the shameful practice of nearly all horse shippers to crowd and jam 
into one car as many horses' as they possibly can. Here they stand 
packed in like sardines in a box, compelled to rido for hundreds of 



— 206 — 

miles with no chance to rest themselves, crowding and pushing till 
they are all in a sweat and then allowed to cool off by the winds 
striking them through the unprotected sides of the car, and without 
food or water. 

Railroad companies should be compelled by law to provide suita- 
ble cars for the shipment of horses. These cars should be built so 
as to protect the horses from the wind, yet thoroughly ventilated. 
Each horse should have room to rest himself and a place for water 
and feed. 

One reason why most horses that are shipped are in bad condition 
for a long time, becoming acclimated, horsemen say, is that they 
catch cold and get themselves out of condition in the transit. 

Let Congress look into this matter, order proper modes of ship- 
ping horses, and we will see a marked decrease in diseases among 
horses. 

Special to the Farmer. 

The necessity for improvement in farm stock to meet the exigen- 
cies of close times, of which considerable has been said of late, is 
one which does not end with cattle, sheep and swine, but includes 
the horse stock as well. Perhaps the improvement in these other 
descriptions of stock is of more importance because of their greater 
numbers, but a great deal can be gained by giving more attention to 
the character of the horse produced and maintained on the farm. 
Horses cannot be dispensed with on the farm, and no one makes the 
attempt, as the major part of the farm work is performed with their 
help, but the cost of their keep is a heavy burden. Many farmers do 
not realize this, because the food they consume is produced upon the 
farm ; but inasmuch as if not consumed by them this food could be 
sold, or something saleable raised in its stead. The support of the 
horse stock is a very material item of farm expense. On a very 
large proportion of farms, if not upon the majority, the class of horses 
maintained is such that practically no return is secured from them 
beyond the labor they perform. This is a good deal, of course, but 
it is not enough, for with a better grade of foundation stock and 
more care in the selection of stallions, the production of horses can 
be made. to contribute very handsomely to farm revenues without 



— 207 — 

going further in the direction of breeding than the usual force of 
farm teams will justify. There is a great demand in this country 
for good horses, and it is so diversified in its character and so wide in 
its extent, that practically it can never be overdone. The farmer 
need not be restricted to any one type of horse, and if he has any 
preferences in the matter they may safely be consulted, since every 
really good horse finds ready sale. But whatever the type selected 
the farmer should always breed for stoutness and stamina, with a fair' 
measure of style and a movement and disposition suited to the pur- 
pose for which the animal is to be ultimately devoted. And the- 
effort should constantly be made to produce animals for some par- 
ticular purpose, and stallions patronized with the power to produce 
just the kind of a horse the farmer desires, avoiding the nondescripts- 
at the " Cross Roads " Avho throw colts too slow to trot, too light to - 
pull, and without style and character for anything else. We know 
of many farmers so negligent in this matter as to maintain teams of 
geldings for farm work. If a farmer wishes and can afford a driving 
team in which his personal pleasure is a fair compensation for their 
keep, he has as good a right to such horses as anybody ; but as for 
horses maintained simply for farm purposes, we have often thought 
that a farmer had full as much use for a plug hat in the harvest 
field as for a team of geldings at the reaper. 

It occurred to me that a few remarks to the farmers of America 
would be well received. 

As regards a very large proportion of the farmers of this country, 
their farms are so conveniently located that they are enabled to haul 
to market the products of their farm in the shape of hay, grain, etc., 
which is done to a great extent. Having been giving daily exhibi- 
tions for fifteen years, I have noticed in my travels the great number 
of farms that were badly run down, the soil fast wearing out, build- 
ings neglected, etc. On inquiry I found that many were heavily 
mortgaged, and the parties working the land barely making a living ; 
also for years that nearly all the produce from these farms had been 
sold and consumed away from the farms, and scarcely anything re- 
turned to the land in shape of manure or fertilizers, which all land 
in this country must have in order to keep it productive. 

There could of course be but one end to such management as this, 
the farm would year after year produce less, until it would even- 



— 208 — 

fatally prove worthless, and its owner made poorer and poorer. In 
my opinion such farms can be brought back to their former produc- 
tiveness by gradually returning to the soil what has been taken from 
it in the shape of manure and fertilizers. This will take time, and 
must of necessity be done slowly by the farmer, that is, year by year, 
as fast as they are able. I then revolved in my mind that that would 
be the most practical way of accomplishing this result. One way to 
do it is by a considerable expenditure of money in buying manures, 
etc., but as naturally would be the case the parties owning farms in 
such condition are generally not able to afford such an outlay. 
Another way, and it strikes me as the best way, is to raise and keep 
stock on the farms, so as to consume the hay, grain, etc., that they 
may raise, and thus have manure to put back on your land. This 
followed up, year by year, your land will begin to increase in pro- 
ductiveness, gradually more stock can be kept, and the farms will in 
a few years become restored to their former usefulness. Feed the 
products of your farm to your stock and then realize from sales of 
your stock. You will realize more in this way and with less labor to 
yourselves and families, and will be adding to the value of your 
farms, instead of depreciating them. 

The next question that comes up will be what kind of stock will 
"be the most profitable to raise, taking all things into consideration, 
to accomplish this result, which must be accomplished and cannot 
be commenced too soon, or the farmers of the country will (many of 
them) soon be in a condition that they cannot make a living off their 
farms. 

My mind naturally reverts to the Blue Grass region of Kentucky, 
where the farms are used almost entirely for raising stock, but very 
little land being cultivated aside from the purpose of raising grain 
for their stock. Their lands are very rich and strong, their locality 
has become celebrated as a stock region, and every day their hotels 
are filled with buyers from different parts of the world, taking their 
stock away and leaving their money in return. Kentucky has be- 
come mainly celebrated for its fine horses, and they are in demand- 
from all over the world. Many states can do as well as Kentucky, 
and in a few years can make a good start in raising horses, and it 
strikes me that it would be a move in the right direction, and should 
be followed up by every farmer. Good horses are always desirable 



— 209 — 

and saleable and at a good paying price. Many of our farmers do' 
keep stock and they can tell you of its value in keeping up their 
farms. Large dairies are in existence, some producing butter, some 
hauling to the cheese factory and others sending their milk to the 
cities. The niak ing of butter makes a great deal, of work on the farm, 
viz.: care of cows, milking them, then the labor about the house 
making the butter, caring for cans, etc. Now, every farmer who will 
take the trouble to figure up the cost of this labor at its market 
value must know that there is no money in making butter at present 
prices. Then look at the state of the case, when milk is taken to 
the factory to be made into cheese. Figure up the cost of keeping a 
cow one year, your time in caring for cows, milking, hauling to fac- 
tory, wear and tear of horses, wagons, etc., expense of cans, interest 
on investment, and tell me if a gross return of twenty-five dollars to* 
thirty dollars per cow on an average will pay you for all this labor,, 
etc. Now, as regards raising horses, which it seems to me will pay 
the farmer better than any other kind of stock raising, you are 
wonderfully favored in having access to the very best stallions that 
can he found anywhere in the broad land, stallions of the very best 
quality, the highest type and the very best blood lines, whether for 
the draft, the farm, the coach, road or track purposes. 

A colt can be raised to three years of age at about the same price 
as a steer, the only extra expense in doing so being the service price 
of a stallion, and this is more than covered by the extra price they 
will sell for, even at common prices bringing three to five times the 
value of the steer. Where good mares are bred, the produce will sell 
for twice or three times the common price, which then makes it very 
profitable. The brood mare can be used carefully during pregnancy, 
so that she will earn her keeping. The foal at three years old can 
be broken to light work about the farm and will earn his living until 
sold. Many will be sold from weaning time up. If a steer can be 
raised in this country and sold at from $50 to $60, how much more 
profit is there in raising a foal that at the same age will bring 
$150 to $500, and when an extra good one is raised, the price 
will run up into the thousands. A farmer in my county with whom 
1 am acquainted breeds one mare every year to one of the best stal- 
lions, and he assures me that this one mare is worth more money 
than the gross income of his whole farm of one hundred acres. 



— 210 — 

Breed as good a mare as yon can afford to own ; breed tcTas good a 
stallion as you feel that you can afford to use, but always keep in 
view the general useful qualities of the horse for any work covering 
good size, fifteen and one-half to sixteen and one-half hands, good 
strong bone, heavily muscled, good disposition, good appearance, 
with soundness of parts and well-gaited and high breeding, and you 
will not go astray. Above all, avoid the use of cheap, low bred 
country stallions standing at a low fee and dear at that ; also horses of 
unfashionable colors, and those that entail upon their stock white 
faces and three or four white feet. Such stock is not popular, and if 
buyers can be got to buy them it will be at a reduced price. A 
colt from a high bred horse can be raised as cheap as that from a 
low bred one, but when you come to sell him, the one by the high 
bred horse will sell for two or three times as mueh. Buyers appre- 
ciate the value of good blood and will pay more for it, because 'their 
experience has taught them that it is worth more and will sell more 
rapidly. Feed your colts liberally and they will well repay you for 
your liberality by making better horses at three and four years of 
age than they would if half fed at six years old. * 

I have presented these thoughts to you as I hastily jotted them 
down, but I have probably said enough to call your attention to the 
matter so that you can fully consider it. 



What Errors in Feeding will Do, and How to Prevent 
Diseases of the Digestive Organs. 

With very rare exceptions diseases of the digestive organs are re- 
sults of errors in feeding, and all observations point to the conclusion 
that in the horse the intestines are more liable to suffer from disease 
than the stomach. The stomach of a horse is a simple organ, small 
in comparison to the size of the animal and in contrast with the vol- 
ume of the intestines. It is but slightly called into action during 
the digestive process, and, provided the food be properly masticated 
and incorporated with the salivary secretions, it is arrested for a 
short time only in the stomach, but is passed onward into the intes- 
tinal canal, where the process of digestion is completed. On this 
account the intestines are more liable to disease. It is also a remark- 



-2ii - 

able fact that easily digested food, if given over abundantly, is apt 
to derange the small intestines; whereas food containing much 
woody fibre, such as over-ripe hay, coarse straw, etc., accumulates in 
the large intestines and there causes derangement, inflammation and 
even paralysis of the intestinal muscular tissue. It is also a fact 
worthy of notice, that if food be given artificially prepared, by boil- 
ing or steaming, it is retained in the stomach itself, and if given in 
too large quantities causes distension, inflammation, paralysis and 
even rupture. This is accounted for by the circumstance that food 
imperfectly prepared for intestinal digestion is retained or imprisoned 
"by the action of the pyloric structures, and thus distends the stomach 
by its bulk or by gases evolved by the process of fermentation, which 
is apt to ensue. 

The food of the horse contains an abundant quantity of starchy 
materials, and the process by which these are rendered soluble com- 
mences in the mouth, not only by their admixture with the salivary 
secretions, but by a chemical change through which the non-soluble 
starch is converted into dextrine and grape sugar, and made fit for 
the action of the intestinal, bilary and gastric secretions, and for ab- 
sorption by the vessels of the gastric and intestinal walls. For the 
purpose of performing this process the horse is provided with twenty- 
four millstones, in the form of molar teeth, which have the power of 
crushing and triturating the hardest food, and of an extensive sys- 
tem of salivary organs which secrete very actively during the process 
of mastication, a fluid which effectively blends with and chemically 
changes the food thus triturated. On this account it is found that 
when horses are sufficiently but not overly fed with dry food of a 
proper quantity, the stomach rarely suffers from disease. An error 
in the diet, however, or a sudden change from one kind of food to 
another, not only deranges the stomach, but the intestinal canal as 
well. 

From various causes, such as improper food, the process of denti- 
tion, diseases of the teeth causing imperfect mastication, ravenous 
feeding, the presence of other diseases, debility of the stomach itself, 
resulting from some constitutional predisposition, or from food given 
at uncertain and rare intervals, a condition of indigestion is in- 
duced in the horse. In young animals the same is induced by 
draughts of cold milk, removal from the dam at too early an age, or 



— 212 — 

what is commonly the case in some places, compelling^the dam to 
work shortly after the birth of the offspring, and allowing it to suckle 
at rare intervals and when the dam is heated. In the horse the 
symptoms of indigestion are loss of appetite, or depravity and capri- 
ciousness of it, manifested by the horse eating at irregular intervals, or 
having a desire to eat filth, with sourness of the mouth and usually 
increased thirst. The animal soon becomes hide-bound, has a dry, 
scurfy skin ; there is irregularity of the bowels and frequent escape 
of flatus by the anus. If caused by imperfectly masticated food, 
such as whole oats or coarse hay, these may be found in the faeces. 
In addition to the above diagnostic symptoms, there may be a dry 
cough, or irregularity of the pulse, which may be slower or faster 
than natural ; colicky pains may also be present in some cases, oc- 
curring more particularly in an hour or two after the animal has par- 
taken of its food, whilst in others fits of giddiness, and even paralysis, 
occurs; the latter condition being not seldom seen in cattle, and 
very often in horses. 

In the young animal the above symptoms are more commonly as- 
sociated with diarrhoea than in the older ones, in which constipation 
is generally present. The faeces often resemble the color of the food ; 
for example, if the horse is fed on dark colored hay or clover, the 
faeces will be dark colored also ; if, on the contrary, it is fed on oats, 
the faeces will be light in color ; and in the young animal, when fed on 
milk, it will often resemble it both in color and consistence, mixed, 
however, with large masses of curdled milk, and often very foetid. 
It has often been noticed that when indigestion is induced by clover 
the urine is very dark in color, and deposits a thick, almost brick- 
colored sediment. This condition of the urine, however, need cause 
no apprehension, as it is often seen in the clover-fed animal without 
any disease being present. Indigestion is a fertile source of deposits 
in the urine, which results from imperfect nutrition of the tissues, 
or a chemical change in the constituents of the blood-plasma, due 
to the products being imperfectly prepared or containing some ma- 
terial unfit for healthy nutrition. 

In the treatment of indigestion, the cause ought to be carefully 
inquired into and removed. If due to the process of dentition, the 
presence of unshed crowns of the temporary teeth irritating and 
wounding the mouth, or to any irregularity of the dental apparatus, 



— 213 — 

these must be attended to according to the directions laid down under 
their several heads. In all instances where such causes are not in 
operation, even when the cause cannot be traced to the food, it will 
be necessary to make some alteration in the diet and to examine the 
various alimentary matters in order to detect the offending one if 
possible. If the diarrhoea is not excessive and the animal thereby 
much debilitated, it would be advisable to give a mild aperient or a 
moderate cathartic. To the young animal a dose of castor oil or lin- 
seed oil, to the older a moderate dose of aloes, combined with a veg- 
etable bitter, ginger or gentian. In foals pepsin can be adminis- 
tered, as in all probability the indigestion is due to imperfect secre- 
tion of the gastric glands ; even in the older animal this is often pre- 
sumably the case, and more especially when the disorder occurs with- 
out apparent cause ; the same remedy will prove beneficial. The 
diet of the animal is also to be carefully conducted, and that pure 
air, moderate exercise and good grooming are essential to proper di- 
gestion. Occurring in the winter, if the horse is thickly covered 
with hair, clipping will have a beneficial result, restoring the diges- 
tion and appetite, which may have been long impaired, notwithstand- 
ing remedies, in the course of a few hours. 

Distension of the stomach may arise from repletion with solid 
food, or from the evolution of gases arising from solids or liquids 
contained within it undergoing the process of fermentation, or dis- 
engaged from the gastric walls when the stomach is empty, as occur- 
ring in conditions of great prostration. The cause of impaction of 
the stomach results from the indigestion of food too abundant in 
quantity, or greedily swallowed and imperfectly masticated. In those 
parts of the country where the cooking of food for horses is a com- 
mon custom, it is found that deaths from diseases and lesion of the 
digestive apparatus are very common. From the reasons that it is 
necessary for the food to undergo, not only the process of tritura- 
tion by the teeth, but that it requires to be chemically altered by 
combination with the saliva, it will be understood that food prepared 
in any other way, as cooking by boiling and steaming, is unfitted to 
be acted upon by the stomach, and is consequently retained within 
it, the animal meanwhile continuing to eat until its walls become 
distended, paralyzed or even ruptured. Some kinds of food, nutri- 
tious in themselves and theoretically calculated to be proper for the 



— 214 — 

liorse, are found practically to be highly dangerous. Wheat, for in- 
stance, which is highly nutritious, is considered to be improper food, 
deranging the stomach, causing purgation, laminitis and death. 
Barley has a similar effect. When it becomes compulsory to cook 
the food, it should be given with the greatest caution and in small 
quantities. Bran in mash or otherwise, musty hay, or too ripe before 
being cut, barley and green foods, not only induces engorgement, but 
also undergo fermentation in the stomach, and thus bring on tym- 
panitis. 

Sow Should a Horse be Fed During a Hard March or a 

Long Drive. 

How many times have I seen farmers and horse owners before 
starting on a visit or a long journey give their horse a big breakfast, 
saying, "he's got a hard days work before him." About ten o'clock, 
when he has gone 25 or 30 miles from home, Mr. Horse lies on the 
side of the road with a good case of acute colic. Cause "good break- 
fast." Now, I will give you my idea of the way a horse should be 
fed in order for him to do the work and prevent sickness. Give him 
a good big supper. This allows his digestive organs all night to 
perform their functions, and your horse has laid up a reserve for a 
journey. In the morning give a light breakfast of grain, say four 
quarts of oats, no hay. Same at noon. Always water your horse 
: after, never before eating. Never drive up to a trough when on the 
road and let him drink. Use a pail that you may know how much 
Jhe is drinking. For myself I do not approve of watering a horse 
more than four times a day when on a journey, early in the morn- 
ing, again at ten o'clock, again at four and again at night when put- 
ting him up for his rest. 

When you desire to stop but a short time for dinner, you need not 
wait until your horse is cool before you feed him. Feed him his 
grain at once, and as soon as he has eaten he is ready for business. 
A great many horsemen will tell you that there is danger in feeding 
a horse when very warm. But it is not so. Understand me cor- 
rectly, I refer only to instances where you are going to put your 
Jhorse to work immediately after he has eaten his dinner. When 



— 215 — 



warm, his stomach is expanded, and your keeping him warm, it re- 
mains in that state. On the other hand, if you allow him to stand, 
the stomach contracts, and the gas from the grain brings on colic. 



Taking Care of Horses when Heated. 

It is the habit of a great many persons when their horses become 
heated to cover them with a great heavy blanket. This is wrong. 
Do not cover your horse for about five minutes, letting him steam. 
Then put on a light blanket, allow him to stand with this blanket 
on for half an hour, then remove the light blanket and put on your 
heavy one. This gives the animal a warm, dry covering, after you 
have removed the light blanket which is wet from the steam of the 
horse. Follow these directions and it will prevent your horse from 
catching cold. I approve of giving the horse a thorough rubbing 
first, if convenient. 



Care of Horses in the Spring of the Year. 

Great care should be given the animals during the months of 
April and May, to prepare them for the warm weather. As soon as 
the grass starts your horse should be grazed thirty to forty minutes 
each day, and this as early in the morning as possible. Green grass 
will physic your horse, purify his blood, and get the grain that he 
has been eating through the winter months out of his system. At 
the same time that you are grazing the horse, feed bran mashes and 
stop feeding grain for a week or ten days, until you get his system 
in a thoroughly good condition. I would also advise that driving 
horses with feet that are inclined to contract be walked in the dew 
every morning through the summer months. This is one of the 
greatest treatments in the world for softening and expanding the 
horse's feet. It is much better than all the hoof ointment there is 
on the market, and it is a great deal cheaper. 

In cities where it is not feasible to graze your horse, give him a 
bucket of green grass cut from the lawn. 



— 216 — 



Horses. 



The number of horses has risen from 4,336,719 in 1850 to 10,357,- 
488 in 1880, a gain of 6,020,769, or more than 143 per cent, in the 
thirty years. In 1850 Ohio headed the list with 463,397; in 1860, 
Ohio again, with 623,346 ; in 1870 Illinois had gone to the front with 
853,738, and at the front she remained in 1880 with 1.023,082. It is 
a curious commentary on the old fear that railways would destroy the 
market for horses, that their number has most increased where rail- 
ways have been most developed. 

In five of the old slave states the equine population diminished in 
the thirty years. Alabama fell from 128,001 in 1850'to 113,950 in 
1880, a loss of 14,051 ; Georgia fell from 151,331 to 98,520, a loss of 
52,811 ; Mississippi fell from 115,460 to 112,309, a loss of 3,151 ; 
North Carolina fell from 148,693 to 133,686, a loss of 5,007 ; South 
Carolina fell from 97,171 to 60,660, a loss of 36,511, and Tennessee 
fell from 270,636 to 266,119, a loss of 4,517. But in each of these 
states the gain in mules and asses more than makes up the loss in 
horses. In these six states there were returned in 1850, horses, 911,- 
292, mules and asses, 309,866, together 1,221,158 ; and in 1880, 
horses, 783,244, mules and asses, 705,311, together 1,490,555, a net 
gain in the two classes taken together of 269,397. 

In 1850 there were returned, horses, 4,336,719, mules and asses, 
559,331, together 4,896,050, to a population of 23,191,876, or an ani- 
mal of equine parentage to each 4 3-4 inhabitants. In 1880, horses, 
10,357,488, mules and asses, 1,812,808, together, 12,170,296 to a 
population of 50,155,783, or an animal to each 4 1-8 inhabitants, 
notwithstanding that the miles of railroad had increased in the 
thirty years from 9,021 in 1850 to 93,671 in 1880. 

It would be interesting and instructive to learn the average value 
of each animal in 1850 and in 1880. Undoubtedly the common 
horse of to-day is a great deal better animal and will sell for much 
more money than his predecessor a human generation ago. Probably 
that increase is one-third to one-half. The deep and widespread in- 
terest in running and trotting for their own sakes, as well as the ef- 
forts purposely made to improve horse stock, have borne large and 
gratifying fruit. 



— 217 — 



Mules and Asses. 



The number of these animals, taken by themselves, has risen from 
559,331 in 1850 to 1,813,808, in 1880, a gain of 1,253,477, or about 
224 per cent, in the thirty years. In 1850 Tennessee headed the list 
with 75,303 ; in 1860 Tennessee again with 126,345 ; in 1870, Mis- 
souri with 111,502, and in 1880 Missouri still led with 192,027. Of 
the states each possessing more than 100,000 mules and their fathers 
in 1880, Alabama had 121,081 ; Georgia, 132,078 ; Illinois, 123,278 ; 
Kentucky, 116,153 ; Mississippi, 129,778 ; Missouri, as above, 192,- 
027; Tennessee, 173,498, and Texas, 132,447. These eight states 
own 1,120,340, or nearly two- thirds of the whole. So that the per- 
centage of increase has been greater among mules and asses than 
among their prouder and more aristocratic brethren, the "straight" 
horses. 

Looking at Khode Island in the year 1850, one is irresistably 
tempted to ask : "What was his name ?" 



— 218 — 



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— 220 — 



Oscar R. Gleason's Original Methods for Detecting 
Unsoundness in the Horse. 



The result of an experience of over fifteen years duration, in which time he 
has handled over " twenty thousand horses," which, however, may 
seem incr edible to the reader, but the truth of which he can clearly sub- 
stantiate, and the fact demonstrated on referring to his Journals, giving 
the owners' names and addresses, the kind of horse and the character of 
their habits, and the date they were handled bv him. 



In meeting with so many unsound horses in my journeyings about 
the United States, I am awakened to the fact that I might enlighten 
many of my readers by my original methods of detecting all of the 
unsound points about the horse. In doing this I do not intend to 
make use of any scientific terms that belong to the veterinary college, 
but instead of which it will be my aim to use plain matter of fact lan- 
guage, and that which would generally occur in any and every commu- 
nity where people reside who admire and cultivate to improve that noble 
animal so highly estimated by man. In doing this it is certainly not 
my object to induce the reader to entertain the idea that I belong to 
the veterinary school. If, perchance, the reader should entertain 
the idea let me here disabuse his mind with regard to it. The veter- 
inary college is an institution of a very high order, and one worthy 
of the patronage of the rising generation, and should receive the en- 
couragement of the whole world. 



How to Examine the Horse. 

In the first place use your own judgment and do not listen to what 
your neighbors say. If you are in a locality where you can get a 
good veterinary to examine him, I would advise you to do so, unless 
you consider yourself fully qualified ; if such is the case with the 
reader, I can only say go ahead. 



— 221 — 

Have the horse led out of the stable, as all horses should be examined 
in the open air. The first of all look to his age. For ascertaining 
the correct age of the horse you will find it laid down elsewhere in 
this book. Open the horse's month, look at his grinders and see 
that they are in a proper condition. Next examine his eyes, then 
his ears, running your fingers carefully in them to see that there is 
no unnatural growth of warts or bunches such as wens, etc., which 
could not otherwise be discerned, as thereby many horses have been 
rendered deaf from such causes. Take your right hand, place it on 
the top of his head and feel for the effects of Polevil, or any sores of 
any nature that may be there. Then run your hand back to his 
withers and examine for any marks of the surgeon's knife or fistula, 
also while examining the mouth, look carefully for any marks or 
scars that might be the result of the use of the knife. Now run 
your hand on the horse's back to the region of his kidneys to ascer- 
tain if there is any weakness there. Now stand directly in front of 
the animal, and see if he has a full chest, and that his shoulders are 
both alike. Now look at his fore feet and see if they are both the 
same size. 

Now pick up his feet and see that the frog is of a yielding and 
tender character. See that he does not have " Thrush,"' which you 
can detect from the offensive odor arising therefrom. Now look on 
the inside of his front leg and see whether he has splints or any 
unnatural enlargements of any character or nature. Now, examine 
the hind legs for bone spavin or any enlargement of the hock joint, such 
as blood spavins, bog spavin, thorough pin, curve, &c, &c. Examine 
the leaders and tendons. Now have the horse trotted at a slow and 
also a quick pace ; then take a side view of the same action. Then 
have him backed quickly and led up quickly, keeping your eyes on 
his hind legs, looking for string halt. Now have him turned round 
short, looking for any weakness about his front legs, in which he will 
exhibit by dragging one of his limbs. Also examine his throat and 
nostrils, looking for any disease that might be located there. 

The ears of a horse should be small ; broad between his ears, 
broad between his eyes, with a large and full hazel eye, perfectly 
level and straight from the forehead down to the nostril, with a 
large, full nostril and thin. Size of the animal varies according to 
what you want to use him for. The bones of the horse's leg should be 



— 222 — 

flat and with very little flesh upon them, showing the cords and 
leaders perfectly. The foot should be of a flat nature. I have found 
those to be of a more lasting kind. The foot that contracts easiest 
is of a high wall and closed heel. (See engraving in this book for 
perfect horse.) 

The reader may be assisted in reviewing the following list of com- 
mon terms used in expressing the unsound points about the horse : 

Contraction of the foot Unsound. 

Thrush in the foot .Unsound until cured. 

Toe Crack Unsound. 

Quarter Crack Unsound. 

Corn Unsound. 

Flat foot, when sole has dropped Unsound. 

Pomace sole, or any inflammation of the 

laminae Unsound. 

Callousness upon the knee, caused by a horse falling down, or other- 
wise, is an evidence of unsoundness. 

If the knee is swollen, but no wen or protuberance of a callous nature, 
ound. 

As to the eye, any disease, even from the slightest cold or inflammation, 
until it be completely cured or has resulted in total blindness, stamp the 
animal as unsound. 

In short, a horse with either eye not actually perfect is unsound. 

Ringbone Unsound. 

Canker in the foot Unsound. 

Windgalls I consider not in the full sense of the term unsound, but 
rather as a blemish brought on by overwork or strain. 

Curb Unsound. 

Spavins of all natures and kinds Unsound. 

Cappid Hocks Unsound. 

Rheumatism Unsound. 

Thorough Pins , Unsound. 

Blood Spavin Unsound. 

Bog Spavin Unsound. 

String halt Unsound. 

Low hip or any protuberance of the hip Unsound. 

Gease Heels, until cured Unsound. 

Cracked Heels Unsound. 

Enlargement of the hind leg, or what is technically 
termed " Elephantine".. ^ Unsound. 



— 223 — 

Weak back Unsound. 

Knuckling of the pastern joint, or sprung knees Unsound. 

Stumbling, which is generally caused by the weak- 
ness of the tendons Unsound. 

All enlargements of the sinews or tendons Unsound. 

Heaves, or broken wind Unsound. 

Cough, until cured Unsound. 

Crib biting Unsound. 

Wind sucking Unsound. 

Heaving, a nervous affection not necessarily injurious but more of a. 
habit. 

Surfeit or Mange Unsound until cured. 

Glanders Unsound. 

Strangles Unsound. 

Colds and distempers, until cured ...Unsound. 

Enlarged joints Unsound. 

Soft enlargements on any part of the limb Unsound. 

Sore shoulders or galled backs Unsound until cured. 

Horses where the shoulder has shrunk or perished, it is caused by in- 
flammation of the tendons, originating in the foot, and they are unsound- 
Stiff hocks Unsound. 

Wounds of every nature, until cured Unsound. 

Scars of all kinds, if properly healed, not leaving a bone fracture, are 
sound. 

Horses who cut their quarters when spading, or when lying down in. 
stall have caused the shoe boil, are unsound until cured. 

Roman backed horses are the most durable animals we have. 
Saddle backed, hollow backed and low backed horses maybe considered 
sound, but are nevertheless an eyesore to the owner. 

Wall eyed or moon eyed horses, if not sightless, I consider sound. 
All humors arising from impurities of the blood or otherwise I consider 
an evidence of unsoundness until cured. 

Pigeon toed horses, or horses toeing in, unsound, being an unnatural, 
development, liable to cork themselves or interfere. 

Lampas. — This is a fullness of the roof of the mouth and is most 
frequently found among young horses. 

Treatment — Cut the first bar in roof of the mouth, squeezing out 
the blood, then add a little salt. Never burn them as in our grand- 
father's days. This is not considered by me as an evidence of un- 
soundness, as the remedy is simple and effectual. 



— 224 — 

Firing horses for any enlargement of the limb or any other cause, 
I consider a brutal treatment, and when left so treated, I consider 
Iiim unsound. 

Wolf teeth are two small teeth and found on either side of the 
upper jaw next to the grinders. If they set close to the grinder 
there is danger of their effecting the eye. They should never be 
knocked out as is practiced by many, but should be removed by a 
pair of forceps. They are peculiar to young horses or colts; after 
they have been abstracted, I consider the horse sound. By a care- 
ful pernsal of what I have said upon the most natural causes that 
render the horse unsound, and a few suggestions as to the treatment 
of them, if I have rendered the reader any assistance and saved 
the noble horse, man's true reliance, any torturous treatment, I am 
satisfied. 



THE TEETH 



A foal at birth has three molars, or grinding teeth, just 
through the gums, upon both sides of the upper and of the 
lower jaws. It generally has no incisor or front teeth; but the 
gums are inflamed and evidently upon the eve of bursting. The 
molars or grinders are, as yet, unflattened or have not been 
rendered smooth by attrition. The lower jaw, when the inferior 
margin is left, appears to be very thick, blunt and round. 

A fortnight has rarely elapsed before the membrane ruptures 
and two pairs of front, very white teeth, begin to appear in the 
mouth. At first these new members look disproportionately 
large to their tiny abiding place, and when contrasted with the 
reddened gums at their base, they have that pretty pearly aspect 
which is the common characteristic of the milk teeth in most 
animals. 

In another month, when the foal is six weeks old, more teeth 
appear. Much of the swelling at first present has softened 
down. The membrane, as time progresses, will lose much of 
its scarlet hue. In the period which has elapsed since the 



— 225 — 

former teeth were looked at, the sense of disproportionate size 
has gone. The two front teeth are now fully up, and these are 
almost of suitable proportions. When the two pairs of lacteral 
incisors first make their appearance, it is in such a shape as can 
imply no assurance of their future form. They resemble the 
corner nippers and do not suggest the smallest likeness to the 
lateral incisors, which they will ultimately become. 

There is now a long pause before more teeth appear. The 
little one lives chiefly upon suction and runs by its mother's side. 
Upon the completion of the first month, seldom earlier, it may 
be observed to lower its. head and nip the young grass. From 
the third month, however, the habit grows, until by the sixth 
month, the grinders will be worn quite flat and have been reduced 
to the state suited to their function. 

The corner incisiors come into the mouth about the ninth 
month, the four pair of nippers which have already been traced 
being at this time fully developed. The corner incisors, which 
are depicted as through the gums, do not yet meet, though these 
organs point toward each other, neither has the membrane of 
the mouth at this time entirely lost the deepened hue of infancy. 

From this date, however, the gums gradually become pale, 
till by the end of the first year, the membrane has nearly 
assumed its normal complexion during the earlier period of ex- 
istence. All the incisors are, by the first birthday, well up. 
The grinding teeth which are in the mouth when the foal first 
sees the light, are of a temporary character. The jaw, therefore, 
has to hold and to mature the long permanent grinders which, 
within the substance of the bone, are growing beneath the tem- 
porary molars. To contain and to develop the large uncut 
teeth, before appearing above the gums, causes the small jaw of 
a diminutive foal to be disproportionately thick, especially as 
compared with the same structure in an adult horse. 

At one year old the first permanent tooth appears. This is 
the fourth molar, or the most backward grinder in the engrav- 
ing. The jawbone at one year old has become longer and wider. 
This increase of size was necessary to cover the increasing size 
of the new molar and to aiford room for the partial development 
of two other grinders, which will appear behind what is now the 
last tooth. Often little nceules of bone, without fangs, merely 
attached to the gums, appear in front of each row of grinders. 



— 226 — 

These are vulgarly denominated << wolves' teeth."' They gener- 
ally disappear with the shedding of those members facing which 
they are located. 

The changes in the teeth, after the first year, are character- 
ized by the longer periods which divide them. Months have 
heretofore separated the advent of single pairs ; but from this 
date these appearances are to be reckoned by numbers and by 
years. The foal has teeth sufficient to support and to maintain 
its growth. Preparation is being made for the advent of the 
sixth grinder, and for changes in those milk molars which were 
in the mouth when the animal was born. At the same time 
additional width is needed to allow the permanent incisors to 
appear when their time comes. In the front teeth of a two- 
year-old, there is a want of that fixedness which, one year be- 
fore, was characteristic of these organs. The central nippers 
have done their duty, or, at all events, something approaching 
to maturity has been attained. 

Three years old is the period when the greater number of 
colts are brought to market. The bit then is put into its 
mouth, and it is driven from the field. At a period of change 
and of debility it is expected to display the greatest animation 
and to learn strange things. When its gums are inflamed ; 
when the system is excited ; when the strength is absorbed by 
•an almost simultaneous appearance of twelve teeth, it is led 
from the pasture and made, with its bleeding jaws, to masticate 
sharp oats and fibrous hay. 

It has been said that a three-year-old colt cuts twelve teeth. 
The engraving presents half the lower jaw of an animal of that 
age. Those organs which are of recent appearance will be re- 
cognized by their darker color, by their larger size, or by their 
differing in shape from the other members. These new teeth 
are a central incisor and the first two grinders. The horse has 
two jaws and two sides to each jaw ; therefore the same number 
being present within each side of both jaws, the teeth already 
alluded to appear during the third year. However, even this 
quantity rather understates than overrates the fact, for fre- 
quently the tushes are cut during this period. In such a case 
the colt acquires no less than sixteen teeth in twelve months. 

The four-year-old has to perfect as many teeth as are known 
to protrude into the mouth of the three-year-old. But the pre- 



— 227 — 

cise time of the appearance of the tushes is uncertain. They 
may come up at the third or the fourth year ; sometimes they 
never pierce the gums, it being very far from uncommon to see 
horses' mouths of seven years without the tushes. 

By the end of the fourth year the co-It has certainly gained 
twelve teeth. By this time there should exist, on each side of 
both jaws, one new lateral incisor and two fresh molars, being 
the tnird and the sixth in position. The appearance of the 
mouth now indicates the approach of maturity ; but the inferior 
margin of the lower bone still feels more full and rounded than 
is consistent with the consolidation of an osseous structure. 

The process of dentition is not finished by the termination of 
the fourth year. There are more teeth to be cut, as well as the 
fangs of those already in the mouth to be made perfect. 

The colt, with four pairs of permanent incisors, has still the 
corner milk nippers to shed, yet while the provision necessary 
for that labor is taking place within the body, or while nature is 
preparing for the coming struggle, man considers the poor 
quadruped as fully developed and as enjoying the prime of its 
existence. 

The teeth may be scarcely visible in the mouth, nevertheless 
such a sign announces the fifth year. to be attained. There are, 
at five, no more bothering teeth to cut. All are through the 
bone and the mouth will soon be sound. 

The indications of extreme age are always present, and, 
though during a period of senility the teeth cannot be literally 
construed, nevertheless it should be impossible to look upon the 
"venerable steed" as an animal in its colthood. 



Gleason's Entire New Method of Telling the Age of 

a Horse. 

Copyrighted by him in 1SS0. 

Question. How do you tell the age of a horse ? 

Anstcer. There are many methods of telling the ages of 
horses, but I have a new method, and one that you can always 
tell within one or two years of their correct age, which is as 
follows : 



— 228 — 



UPPER JAW 



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0. R. 
GLEASON'S 

OF TELLING HORSES' AGE 



NEW 
SYSTEM 



LOWER JAW 



A horse has forty teeth — twenty-four grinders, twelve front 
teeth and four tusks. A mare has thirty-six teeth — twenty-four 
grinders, twelve front teeth, and sometimes they have tusks, hut 
not very often. Fourteen days old a colt has four nipper teeth, 
at three months old he has four middle teeth, at six months old 
he has four corner teeth ; at one year old the cups leave the 
nipper teeth, at two years old the cups leave the middle teeth, 
at two and a half years old he sheds his nipper teeth, at three 
years old full size nipper teeth ; three and a half years old he 
sheds his middle teeth, four years old full-size middle teeth ; 
at four and a half years old sheds his corner teeth ; five years 
old, full-size corner teeth ; six years old, large cups in corner 
teeth, small cups in middle teeth, and still smaller cups in nipper 
teeth ; seven years old, cups leave nipper teeth ; eight years old, 
cups leave the middle teeth ; nine years old, cups leave the cor- 
ner teeth ; at ten years old a dark groove will make its appearance 
on the upper corner tooth ; at fifteen years old the groove will be 
one-half way down the upper corner tooth ; at twenty-one years 
old the grooves will be at the bottom. At this age give your 
horse his time and let him have rest in his future days. 



229 



The groove alluded to will be found on the corner tooth of the 
upper jaw, running down the middle of the tooth. When a 
horse is from fourteen days to six years old, I judge by the 
appearance of both jaws ; when from six to ten years, by the 
lower jaw, and when from ten to twenty-one years, by the groove 
in the upper jaw. The above is the only true system in the 
world, to my knowledge, for telling a horse's age. 



Gleason's Practical Illustrations of the Age of the 

Horse. 




The Foal's Jaw at Birth, 



— 230 




Showing the Mouth of Colt Six Weeks Old. 



— 231 




Showing- Front Teeth of Colt at Xine Months. 




Side View of Jaw of a One. Year- old Colt. 



— 232 




Side View of Jaw of a Two- Year-Old Colt. 




Showing Colt's Moutb at Two Years of Age. 



233 — 




Showing- Mouth at Two and a-half Years of Age. 




Showing Mouth at Three Years Old. 



— 234 




The Jaw of a Three* Year-Old Colt. 




The Jaw of a' Fonr- Year-Old Colt. 



— 235 — 




Showing' Mouth at Four Years of As". 




show Jiitf Mouth at Four and a-half Years of Age. 



236 — 




Showing Mouth at Five Years of Age. 




Showing Mouth at Six Tears of Age. 



— 237 




Showing Mouth at Seven Years of Age. 




Showing Mouth at Eight Years of Age. 



238 — 




Showing" Month Twenty Years of Age. 



v^ 







Showing the Mouth at Thirty Years of Age. 

Having made a study of the horse's mouth during my fifteen 
years of experience, the above illustrations will be found' accurate 
in all cases. But I will refer you to my new method of telling 
the age of a horse from fourteen days to twenty-one years old. 
Buy all horses by its instructions and you will never be deceived. 



— 239 — 



Remember This* 



To Tell the Age of Horses. 



To tell the age of any horse, 
Inspect the lower jaw, of course. 
The sixth front tooth the tale will tell, 
And every doubt and fear dispel. 

Two middle " nippers " you behold 
Before the colt is two weeks old. 
Before eight weeks, two more will come ; 
Eight months, the " corners'' cut the gum. 

Two outside grooves will disappear 
From middle two in just one year. 
In two years from the second pair ; 
In three the corners, too, are bare. 

At two, the middle ''nippers " drop ; 
At three, the second pair can't stop. 
When four years old, the third pair goes ; 
At five a full new set he shows. 

The deep black spots will pass from view, 
At six years, from the middle two. 
The second pair at seven years ; 
At eight the spot each " corner " clears. 

From middle "nippers," upper jaw, 
At nine the black spots will withdraw. 
The second pair at ten are white ; 
Eleven finds the '' corners " light. 

As time goes on, the horsemen know. 
The oval teeth, three-sided grow ; 
They longer get, project before, 
Till twenty, which we know no more. 



— ( iLEASON. 



— 240 — 




Horses' Teeth. Their Care and Treatment. 



There are hundreds and thousands of horses that are suffering 
daily on account of their teeth. The upper jaw of the horse is one 
inch wider than the lower jaw, causing the upper grinders to shut 
half an inch over the lower grinders. This causes the upper set 
of teeth to wear sharp on the outside next to the cheek, and the 
lower grinders to wear sharp on the inside next to the tongue. After 
these teeth become sharp, in using a bridle on a horse, the pulling of 
the lines brings the cheek-pieces of the bit against the horse's mouth, 
pressing the inside of the cheek against the sharp edges of the 
grinders, causing inflammation and many times cutting large gashes. 
The horse will throw its head up and down, slobber, drive uneven, 
pull on the lines, many times will balk; his grain passes through 
him whole, he cannot masticate it properly. During my professional 
career, I have seen hundreds of horses become balky for no other rea- 
son than that their teeth were sharp on the edges, causing the mouth 



— 241 — 

and cheeks to become sore and lacerated, which, in a high-strung 
and nervous beast, causes him to balk. Now, to have your horse's 
teeth fixed, take a float or rasp and tile off the inside edges of the 
teeth — just the sharp edges. Never let a man cut your horse's teeth 
with shears, as it is impossible to cut ivory without fracturing it. 
This operation of floating should be done once a year regularly. 
Always have the operation performed by a man of good judgment. 
Many a time a horse loses a grinder, then the opposite grinder is 
given a chance to grow, and eventually comes into direct contact 
with the opposite gum, making it impossible for the horse to eat at 
all. Examine your horse's mouth thoroughly ; see that the teeth are 
even ; if not, take a float and make them so. Many of our best 
veterinarians prescribe condition powders and medicines for horses 
that are in thin flesh, hide-bound, etc., when the proper operation 
upon the teeth will cure your horse without buying a lot of this 
trash. 



HORSE-SHOEING DEPARTMENT. 



Question. What do you think of horse-shoes and horse-shoeing in 
general ? 

Answer. There is no subject before the horse owners to-day that 
should interest them more than the subject of horse-shoeing. The 
force of this statement will make itself felt when you consider that 
there are in the United States at the present time over 14,000,000 
horses, and that fully one half of them are badly crippled and al- 
most spoiled by the sheer ignorance of the ordinary horse-shoer. 
I claim that more horses are made lame by this butchery than any 
other cause, for the reason that the majority of blacksmiths have 
not had the experience necessary to do the work as it should be 
done. They have not thoroughly mastered their profession. In 
order for a horse-shoer to understand the science of his profes- 
sion and the anatomy of the horse's foot, it is necessary for 



— 242 — 

"him to serve a long apprenticeship, and cannot be fully un- 
derstood without a practical teaching and experience of five 
or seven years. There are horse-shoers who thoroughly under- 
stand their profession, and I recognize them as one of the 
greatest body of men that we have to-day in any profession. 
There are rates upon shoeing that is being done at the present time 
by irresponsible parties, unskilled workmen, at the low rate of 
seventy-five cents for shoeing a horse all around. Now it is im- 
possible for any blacksmith to shoe a horse and do his work in a 
scientific manner for less than $2, and fronr that to $3, per horse. 
It will be a great satisfaction to me, and I believe to the mil- 
lions of horse owners, if a law should be passed in every State 
throughout America prohibiting a man from shoeing a horse 
or driving a nail into a horse's foot until he has served so 
many years as an apprentice. Then let him go to the capital of 
the State and there pass an examination that he is a qualified, 
capable and able horse-shoer, thoroughly understanding his profes- 
sion. Let him then receive his diploma to show the world that he 
has gained his profession by hard study and work, and is ready to 
perform his work in a skillful manner. 

If this should ever become a law, we should soon find out that we 
have only got a very few practical horse r shoers in the United States. 

I hope that those who read my ideas upon shoeing will hereafter 
appreciate a good horse-shoer. Do not patronize your cheap mechan- 
ics, but patronize those who understand their profession. You will 
then encourage men of good judgment, good common sense, to work 
hard in order to elevate their profession. 

Question. How should a horse be shod ? 

Answer. Pare the foot perfectly level ; never take any more out 
at the heel than you do at the toe ; never allow your horse's frog to 
be cut in any way, shape or form. If there are rags hanging, to the 
frog let them remain there ; never have the bars of your horse's foot 
cut. Let the horse-shoer cut enough of the sole out of the horse's 
foot so that the shoe will not rest or press upon the sole, leaving an 
equal bearing or pressure upon the sole of the horse's foot. 

Have a shoe made that is concave from the third nail hole all the 



— 243 — 

way round to the other third nail hole, from the last nail hole back 
to the heel of the shoe ; have it bevelled outwardly, having the shoe 
thinner on the outside at the heel than it is on the inside. My phi- 
losophy of this is, to let the horse's frog come down even with the 
shoe, as when he puts his foot down on the ground, by the shoe being 
bevelled at the heel, it gives the quarters a chance to expand. 

You probably are aware of the fact that the horse's shoes that are 
manufactured at the present time are concaved all the way around ; 
the result is that the shoe is slanting inwardly, and when the horse's 
foot is placed upon his shoe, with four nails driven upon each side, 
you have nailed his foot to an iron vise, and it is impossible for it to 
expand, for the reason that the shoe slanting inwardly causes the 
foot to contract. I would advise that all driving or saddle horses 
should only have six nails in the front feet and five in the hind feet; 
have them driven well to the middle of the horse's foot and come 
out of the horn as low as possible. Never file your horse's foot on 
the outside above the nail heads. Never file the crease under the 
clinches, as when you do you are weakening the crust of the horn of 
your horse's foot. You stop the growth of this live horn, causing 
the foot to become dry and brittle, and when the old shoes are re- 
moved you will find large chunks of the horse's foot breaking away 
with the old horseshoe nails. 

Never have a red-hot shoe placed upon your horse's foot. It draws 
the moisture and the oil from the hoof, making it become dry and 
brittle. Nature never destined that a horse's foot should be burned 
with a r?d-hot iron — warm shoes placed upon a horse's foot will do no 
harm. 

Always have the shoes made to fit the foot, and not fit the foot to 
the shoe, as is the practice with many would-be horse -shoers. 

No scientific workman will contradict the above facts. 

Question. How do you shoe a horse for overreaching ? 

Answer. Have a very heavy shoe on the front feet, having it very 
wide at the toe and narrow at the heel ; put as much weight at the 
toe as possible ; on the hind feet use my overreaching shoe with a 
wide web on the outside of the foot, which will stop any horse from 
overreaching. 



244 



(See engravings of shoes for overreaching). What will stop one 
horse from overreaching will not stop another; the blacksmith must 
use his judgment in all cases. 




These shoes so on 

THE FRONT FEET. THEY 
ARE USED ALSO ON 
HORSES THAT STUMBLE 



These shoes go on 

THE HIND FEET. WIDE 
.WEBB ON OUTSIDE OF 
THE FOOT. 




shoes to Prevent Interfering and Overreaching. 

Note. — The shoes as they are in the above illustration will stop almost 
any horse from interfering or forging ; if they interfere with the front feet 
use the same kind of a shoe. 

Question. How long should a horse wear his shoes ? 

Answer. Not over four or six weeks ; then they should be reset, 
merely rasping the feet off level. Do not cut away at the heels more 
than you can possibly help. 



Question. How heavy should a horse's shoe be ? 

Answer. For all driving and saddle horses, they should wear 
fourteen -ounce shoes on the front feet, eight-ounce shoes on the hind 



_ 245 — 

feet All team horses and heavy draft horses must be shod accord- 
ing to their weight and size. I am an endorser of light shoes for 
all driving horses, as horses pick up and put down during a day's 
work in the neighborhood of about fifty-three tons of iron, and you 
will quickly see that the lighter your horse is shod the better it is 
for him in going a long journey. 

All trotting horses must be shod according to the judgment of 
their drivers. They should shoe them to balance, and gait them to 
the best advantage for speed. 

Question. What shall I do for a horse with corns ? 

Answer. Have the foot pared perfectly level ; then fit the shoe 
to the foot the same as for a sound horse's foot ; then at the quarter 
where the corn is, take and cut down about one-quarter of an inch, 
taking right out a chunk of the wall, making a shoulder, so that 
when the shoe is placed upon the foot the quarter that the corn is 
on will have no bearing whatever upon the shoe. Put in some good 
strong liniment or caustic and a little cotton over the corn under 
the shoe. My idea of a corn is to remove the cause, and the corn 
will gradully waste away. My idea of shoeing in this way is, if you 
have a corn on your own foot and you relieve the pressure of your 
.boot from that corn it certainly does not bother you. The same way 
with the horse. Horse-shoers, in shoeing a horse for this complaint, 
should use the same judgment that he would for himself. 

Question. How shall I shoe my horse for a quarter crack ? 

Answer. On exactly the same principle as for corns 

(See engravings of horses shod for quarter crack). 

You must take off all the pressure that you possibly can pff the 
diseased quarter, throwing it upon the sound part of the foot. I 
only lay down a few of the principal rules for you to go by. All 
horses being shod must vary according to the style and shape of 
their feet, and in all cases the blacksmith must use his own judg- 
ment. 



— 246 




To Shoe a Horse for Quarter Crack or Bad Corn. 



Question. How can I cure a sand or toe crack ? 

Answer. Shoe the horse the same as for corn or quarter crack, 

(See engravings for the above). 

Question. What shall I do for a horse that stumbles when driven ? 

Answer. Pare his toes; have them much lower than the heel,, 
and use as heavy a shoe as possible, with all the weight of the shoe 
at the toe, This will give him the proper knee action, and prevent 
Mm from stumbling, unless lie is weak in the tendons; if so, 



— 247 



use any of my liniments laid down in this book, rubbing them in 
the cords and tendons of the horse's limbs. Give him a little rest 
until you get him properly strengthened. Many horses stumble 
from nothing but weakness, and rest will cure them. 




Proper Way of Shoeing- for Toe or Sand Crack. 

The following engraving shows a horse shod with a high-heeled 
shoe, which will cause him to stumble ; also will cause his tendons to 
become contracted and cause general disease of the limb. If you have 
caulks put on the shoe, have the toe caulk the same height of the heel 
caulk, giving the shoe an even bearing. 



248 — 




Question. How should a driving or saddle horse be shod in the 
summer time? 

Answer. With a plain flat shoe, as light as possible. I am a 
great believer in having all driving horses shod in the front feet, 
with half shoes, known to horsemen as "tips." (See engraving.) 

All farm horses should be shod with the half shoe. 



The following engraving shows the half shoe known as the "toe- 
tip." All driving or saddle horses should be shod with this kind of 
shoe during the summer months, giving a full frog pressure, and in 



249 



many cases it will cure the worst case of contracted feet. I would 
recommend this shoe to be used on all government horses. 




Question. Should a horse be put in a soaking tub ? 

Answer. I do not believe in soaking horses' feet; it is overdone. 
There are cases where it will benefit a horse, but when carried to 
extremes it is injurious to the animal's feet, as the more you soak 
the drier the hoof will become. Look at the trotting horses to-day; 
they are being soaked out every morning, and when they are seven 
or eight years old their feet are completely ruined. One of the 
greatest and best treatments to soften a horse's foot, and to cause it 
to grow, is to walk the horse early in the morning through grass 
when the dew is on it. This will cause your horse's foot to soften, 
and start it to grow very rapidly. 



250 



Question. Do you believe in putting ointments on a horse ? 

Answer. I do not recommend the use of all kinds of hoof oint- 
ments that are now going the rounds, but there are ointments that, 
if placed upon the cornet of the horse's foot and on the heel, will 
be of great benefit in order to expand and give the horse's foot a 
chance to grow or increase its growth. I would advise you to never 
use oil upon your horse's foot. 




Showing the Effects of the Soaking: Tub. 



Question. Do you approve of the bar shoe ? 

Answer. I do not believe in the use of any bar shoe, only in cases 
where the horse has a drop sole, or a very flat foot, then I approve 
of the whole bottom of his foot being covered with iron ; or, in other 



— 251 — 

words, a whole plate covering his foot and protecting it from the 
earth. (See engravings of my ideas.) 

Question. How can I cure a horse's contracted foot ? 

Answer. Pare his foot perfectly level, cutting the horn down 
until the frog will come even with shoe, if possible. Put on a poul- 
tice made of — 

Linseed meal i quart. 

Charcoal i x / z pints. 

Soft Soap i quart. 

Mix this all together, and put on the bottom of your horse's foot 
every twelve hours for five applications. 

Use skunk oil on the hoof- band of the horse's foot every morning 
for three weeks ; then put on a shoe made bevelled at the heel, having 
the shoe not thicker at the heel than it is at the toe. Open the heel 
a little with the knife, and turn your horse out to pasture. Let him 
run thirty days, then bring him up and have him reshod, and turn 
him out again for thirty days. He is ready then to drive, and with 
proper care in shoeing him, you will have no trouble with your 
horse. Kemember, in order to have a thorough cure, you must fol- 
low the above directions. 

The next illustration shows the effects of soaking a horse's foot daily 
through a campaign on the turf. The little spot shown in the upper 
left hand corner is a corn, which in the majority of cases is caused 
by the shoe resting upon the bar of the horse's foot. This becoming 
bruised causes a callous, the same as upon a person's toe, which forms 
a corn. Can be cured by following treatment laid down elsewhere 
in this book. In all cases to relieve a horse from pain from this 
cause, you must relieve the pressure of the shoe against the corn. 

Question. What kind of a horse-shoe do you approve of? 

Answer. I approve of only the old common-sense shoe, made as 
plain as possible. The only thing we have to do in shoeing a horse, 
is to prevent the wall of the horse's foot from cracking away. If we 
did not have any pavements for our horses to travel over I believe that 
it would be unnecessary to shoe any horse whatever. There are a great 



— 252 — 




Showing the Effects of Soaking a Horse's Foot Daily through a Cam- 
paign on the Turf. 



many shoes to-day before the American horse owner; some are pat- 
ented and some are not. They are introduced by specialists and 
men that are seeking to produce something new to make money out 
of. But let me say I do not believe that there ever will be a shoe 
manufactured that will do away with the plain, good common-sense 
shoe, forged and made by hand by a practical horse-shoer. I con- 
demn all machinery-made shoes, and only recommend shoes forged 
and made by hand. (See engraving on opposite page for my idea of 
horse-shoes.) 

Question. How many blacksmiths or horse-shoers are there in 
America ? 



Answer, 172,726 horse-shoers. 



— 253 — 

Question. How many horses in America ? 

Answer. A little over 14,000,000 and 2,162,808 mules. 

Question. What shall I do to stop my horse from interfering ? 

Answer. Pare his feet perfectly level, then have a shoe made that 
is about an inch and a half wide ; the web on the outside about three- 
quarters of an inch on the inside ; put the wide web part on the out- 
side of his foot, the narrow web on the inside. After you drive him, 




if he should interfere, pare the foot a little lower on the inside than 
it is on the outside. This will stop the majority of horses from in- 
terfering. 

Question. Will it work the same on the front feet that it does on 
the hind feet ? 

Answer. Yes. 



— 254 — 

Question. What do you think of shoulder jam and sweeny ? 

Answer. There is no such disease known to the veterinary 
science. There is a wasting away of the muscles of the horse's 
shoulder, caused in many cases by the contraction of the horse's feet 
or the strain upon the tendons or contractions of the same. In order 
to get a sure cure, treat the foot and the limb, and the shoulder will 
take care of itself. (See my Veterinary Department.) 

Question. Will you give me some general points on the horse's 
foot? 

Answer. Never shoe a colt until he is three years old, or put him 
to work until he is five years old. 

Never allow a blacksmith to sand paper a horse's foot. 

Never have the bars cut or the frog cut. The frog, when in health, 
will shed four times a year and grows the same as your fingernail. 

Always have the horse shod at least once in four or six weeks. 
Pay your blacksmith well for his work. 

For all light driving and saddle horses use No. 6 nails in front 
feet, and No. 5 nails in the hind feet. For heavy draft horses you 
can use larger nails. 

Never have over fourteen- ounce shoes on a light driving horse. 

Some owners and drivers have a habit, which I do not approve of, 
when they come in from a drive, particularly in the spring of the 
year, and their horses are covered with mud, to order the groom 
to direct the hose on the horse's legs to wash off the dirt. Let me 
say that the cold water has a bad effect and brings on sundry com- 
plaints. Let the mud stay on until it dries, then remove it with a 
brush ; it will come off very easily and look fully as well as if washed, 
and will prevent your horse from having grease heel and many other 
diseases of the kind which are caused from the above treatment, 
which is generally practiced by every horse owner. 



255 — 




The Horse's Perfect Foot. 



A shows a healthy frog, that has never been cut by the black- 
smith's knife, or otherwise diseased. Never allow your blacksmith 
to cut the frog or any part of it. Tf it is ragged, let the rags hang ; 
nature will take its course, and they will shed off' in due time. 

E E shows the bars of the horse's foot. Never allow these to be 
cut. Never allow the heels of the shoe to rest on them; they are 
placed in a horse's foot the same as a beam is placed in a building, 
to keep it from contracting the frog, placed between to act as a 
wedge in supporting them. 

D represents the sole of a horse's foot. Have enough of this cut 
away so that the shoe will not press upon the sole. Have your horse 
reshod regularly every four weeks. 



— 256 — 




A Horse's Foot Perfectly Shod. 

The frog, in cases where it can be, should come down level with 
ihe shoe. The above illustration shows the way all horses should 
be shod, except when caulks are required. Caulks should always be 
low, and all shoes be perfectly level, no thicker at the toe than at 
the heel. 



Question. What are a few good general points on horsemanship ? 

Answer. Match horses with reference to size and motion, parti- 
cularly to color, if you can. 

Always have inside lines on double team quite long and back 
straps short. 

Never check a horse if you wish him to last long. 

Never feed from mangers. Let your horse eat his food from the 
floor even with his feet. A great many horses suffer from indiges- 



— 257 — 

tion and are made stiff and lame from eating from hay-racks and 
mangers, which is unnatural to the animals. 

Water and oats should be given first, hay afterwards. If you are 
^working your horses hard, give them very little water at night. 

Always stop at the top of the hill and let your horse get his 
breath. If you have ever run up hill yourself think of your horse. 

Always have the shoes fit the foot and not fit the foot to the shoe. 

Never cut the bars of a horse's foot. 

For a coughing horse, wet his hay and not his oats. 

Never let your horse stand facing a cold wind. 

Always feed light when changing feed. 

When training a horse in a barn, have carriages and all objects 
removed, only those that you are using. 

Use very few words with a horse, but have them thoroughly 
understood. 

Be earnest and prompt, but not harsh. 

Always approach a strange horse near the shoulder. 

Never pat or caress a horse on the head ; always pat him on the 
shoulder. Think of some person coming up to yon and patting you 
on the head. W^hat would you do? 

Teach your horse before whipping, and, when you whip, do it to- 
frighten, not to enrage him. 

Never jump from a wagon when your horse is running away. 

Always exercise sound judgment by purchasing a horse suited to 
the business you require of him. Some horses are good saddle 
horses, but might not make good cart horses. 

If your horse cribs — sell him. 

Who buys a horse needs a hundred eyes. 

Always try before you buy. 

Use your own judgment, and never take other s' opinions. 

Your first thought is always the best. 

Never spare time or labor to relieve a suffering animal. Kemem- 
ber he is a dumb brute and cannot talk to you. 

In treating a disease that a horse may have, never spare a hair to 
do your work faithfully for the noble animal. 

Never have a blacksmith to put a red-hot shoe on your horse's foot. 

Always patronize the best horse-shoers of your city. It is one of 
the greatest professions known to-day. 



- 25S - 

Do not overload your animal. 

Have your horse's shoes reset every four weeks. 

Never soak your horse's feet. 

Never clip a team horse. Driving horses can be clipped if their 
owners will see that they are properly cared for, but I do not ap- 
prove of clipping any more than I would take off my overcoat in 
winter. 

Never have your horse's tail cut off. He needs it to switch flies 
with in the summer. Any man that will order this to be done should 
serve five years in the State Penitentiary. 

The best feed for horses — good oats, good hay, good pure water. 
Never give over twelve quarts a day. 

Always see that your wagons are greased twice a week. 

See that all collars are properly cleaned after using, in order to pre- 
vent gall and sore necks. 

When using your saddle in a storm, see that the blankets are prop- 
erly dried before using again. 

Always have the collar fit your horse's neck properly. 

See that all saddles fit your horses properly. 

In the winter time be very careful and not put a cold iron bit in 
your horse's mouth. Think of yourself, and you will have sympathy 
for the dnmb brute. 

Drive slow in turning corners. 

Don't hit your horse with a whip unless he knows what you hit 
him for. 

Use as little medicine as possible, but prevent sickness in your 
horses by giving them the proper care and attention. 

Give your horse who works hard through the day a good bed to 
sleep on. 

The curry-comb and brush, well used twice a day, is as good as 
three quarts of grain. 

Feed your horses regular. Water them often when doing hard 
work in very warm weather. 

Give bran mashes twice a week. 

Use only the best of hay. It is the cheapest in the end. 

Have horses shod as light as possible. Never use over six nails in 
the front feet and five nails in the hind feet for all light driving or 
saddle horses. 



— 259 — 

When breaking a horse, use as light a break-wagon as possible. 

Make your lessons short. 

Never lose your temper. Always have plenty of patience. 

Never drive fast down hill. 

Let your horse walk up hill. 

Let him go on the level. 

When you are coming from a drive and your horse is very warm, 
let him stand five minutes and steam before you put a blanket on 
him. 

Before leaving him for the night, change blankets — a dry one for 
the wet one. Nine-tenths of the diseases of horses are caused from 
their not having the proper care. 

If you have a heavy horse, sell him. 

Never put a horse to hard work until he is five vears old. 



Packing and Soaking Horses' Feet. 

It is the practice among many horse owners, and especially trot- 
ting horse trainers, throughout the country, to pack and soak their 
horses' feet. This I do not approve of, and believe it is wrong, and 
that it has ruined thousands of our most valuable animals. Why ? 
Because it is carried to extremes. When you soak a board and dry 
it, the second time it is soaked it is much drier than it was at first, 
and every time you soak it the drier and more brittle it will be each 
time. Why does not the horse's hind feet become contracted ? Be- 
cause, whether it be a horse or a mare, it spatters more or less of its 
urine upon its feet, the ammonia drives all diseases from the hoof, 
and the water keeps them soft. In the summer time, as I have al- 
ready mentioned, I recommend that the horse be led early in the 
morning through the dew. Let the reader stop for a moment and 
think of some time when he was out walking in the early morning, 
with good, thick boots on, and he will remember that in a very few 
minutes he began to feel the moisture of the dew penetrating through 
to his feet. Dew passes through the boot when water would not. 
This works the same upon horses, nature having provided this sim- 
ple preventive and cure for diseases of the hoof. It cleans the feet 
and causes them to soften and expand. If your horse has hurt his 



— 260 — 

feet or injured his limb by running a nail in his foot, or anything of 
that sort, I approve of giving him a good soaking, and poulticing 
the injured member ; but never pack your horse's feet with oil meal, 
or soak them for the purpose of keeping the horse's feet soft. Use 
my hoof ointment as laid down in the Veterinary Department, and 
follow its directions. In order to show horsemen that the above 
theory is correct, how many horses do you see that have been cam- 
paigned for two or more seasons whose feet are not contracted, 
become hard and brittle, so that they are almost useless for the track 
or even for ordinary driving purposes ? I claim that every stable 
should have half a barrel placed in some corner with a notice above 
it "urinate here," and two or three times a week each horse should 
be swabbed off with the urine. To do this take a broom-handle and 
make a swab on the end of it with rags. Dip this into the urine 
and let it run down the legs and feet, commencing with the knee. 
Do this until the leg and hoof is thoroughly soaked. 




Applying Moisture to the Cornet of the Horse's Foot. 



261 — 



A Few Points. 



Never pack your horse's feet. 

Never allow a blacksmith to sand-paper your horse's hoof. 

Never allow oils of any kind to be placed on the outside of a horse's 
hoof, as it closes the pores. In order to keep a horse's foot in good 
order, and free from disease, take a pail full of salt water and wash 
his legs, from his knees down, three times a week. 

Where your horse's foot is contracted, or the frog has become hard 
and dry, use poultice. (See Veterinary Department in this book.) 



PROF. 0. R. GLEASON'S LECTURE ON HORSE-SHOEING. 

(COPTEIG-HTED .) 

.^.s 3D entered. 1037- Him. ixx Boston, 3iviCa,ss. T 
:F 1 e"br-u.a,r3r l-^tla., 1885. 



There is no subject before horse owners to-day that should inter- 
est them more than the subject of horse-shoeing. The force of this 
statement will make itself felt when w r e consider that there are in the 
United States at the present time over 13,000,000 head of horses, and 
that fully half of them are crippled and almost spoiled by the sheer 
ignorance of the ordinary horse-shoer. I even claim that more lame 
horses are made so by this " botchery " than by any other cause, for 
the simple reason that the majority of blacksmiths in this country 
have not had experience necessary to do the work as it should be 
done, because they have not thoroughly mastered their profession in 
the first place. 

The following is the way our blacksmiths deem it proper to shoe 
a horse, and I will also give you some of its consequences : Any shoe 



— 262 — 

is selected, and the bars, as well as a larg3 part of the frog, are re- 
moved by the knife. This removal they term opening the heels. 
When the hoof is thus prepared the shoe is applied, generally 
thicker at the heel than at the toe, and broad in the web, having its 
upper surface convex. Four nails are then placed in each quarter. 
The high heels of the shoes prevent the frogs from embracing the 
ground, and the concavity of the shoe at the quarters, with the nails 
that are placed nearest the heels, will, confine the growth of the 
<erustand contract the hoof. After a horse has been shod in this 
way for a little while you will discover that the heels are beginning 
to crack, and a roughness will show itself around the feet. The 
horse will walk lame, and you will wonder Avhat the cause is. You 
ask the nearest veterinary surgeon, and he tells you the horse is 
lame in the shoulder or has sweeney, or perhaps shoulder jam. He 
will undertake to prescribe and apply remedies to the same, but, of 
course, none of these will do any good, as the real affliction is 
passed by without attention whatever. 

]N~ow, the proper way to shoe a horse is to first take away the part 
of the sole between the whole length of the bars and crust with the 
drawing-knife, making the foot perfectly level. The heels can now 
receive the pressure of the shoe without causing corns, The sole 
must be made concave, and not allowed to come in contact with the 
shoe. The heel of the shoe should be made to rest on the angle of 
the bars with the crust ; but if the bars are removed, then the shoe 
is supported by the crust only, and not by the solid, broad piece of 
crust and barsmeedecL The shoe should be made no thicker at the 
heel than ;atthe toe, leaving the frog to come down even with the shoe, 
so that when the shoe strikes the ground the frog strikes the shoe at 
the same time, giving what is culled frog pressure. When the shoe 
lis applied, the cavity between the sole and the shoe should be large 
enough at every point to admit a large horse-picker, particularly be- 
tween the bars and crust. If the picker cannot be admitted, then it 
is requisite to make either the sole or the shoe concave. The bars or 
frog should never be removed, but ragged portions of the latter may 
be cut away. Where the heels are higher than the frog, lower the 
heel by the rasp, for in every case we are to endeavor to bring the 
frog in contact with the ground. The reason why the bars should 
never be destroyed is that they are like the braces to a building. 



— 263 — 

They run angle-ways to a horse's frog, and act as a wedge. The 
moment you take them away the heels are bound to contract, because 
the braces are all gone. The sole of the horse's foot should be cut 
only enough so that the shoe will not press on the sole. 

The next point we will mention is the taste many blacksmiths 
have for finishing a job with the rasp, so as to make the foot look 
smooth and handsome, without a thought for the injury they do the 
horse. Under no consideration allow any blacksmith to rasp the foot 
on the outside above the nail heads. Why ? Take a penknife and 
scrape your ringer nail for awhile every day, and then notice the re- 
sult. Soon they will grow rough, thick, and lose all shape. It is 
the same way with a horse's hoof. Although a nicely sand-papered 
hoof may look very pretty for the first day or two, still it is a thou- 
sand times better to be satisfied with nature and not try to improve 
on it. Never let any blacksmith take a file and file under the 
clinches ; for the reason that the wall of the horse's feet is very thin, 
and in filing this crust under the clinches you weaken the foot and 
stop the growth of the horn. When the blacksmith takes tongs 
and pulls off the shoe four or five different chunks will break away 
and come off with the old horse-shoe. The lower part of the hoof 
had become dead by filing with the blacksmith's file. This will not 
embarrass the ordinary blacksmith, however, who will put on the 
shoe as if it were all right, and then scientifically sand-paper the 
whole job. This last part he has probably got down fine, and to the 
uninformed horse owner, who looks only for effect, the job will be 
considered as all right. 

As I find very few people who seem to know the functions of the 
horse's foot, it will not, perhaps, be out of place if I explain them ; 
and with that end I would say that the frog in a horse's foot is a 
cushion to the horse and takes the same place as a spring to the 
w T agon. If we take the spring out of a carriage and attempt to ride 
over five or ten miles of rough and stony road, we soon find that onr 
nerves are being terribly jolted, and we lose the pleasure that usually 
accompanies the drive. Now, when the Almighty made the horse, 
he gave him a frog to act as a cushion to his feet. The frog is of an 
elastic, yielding character, and when it comes in contact with th 6 
earth, stones or anything hard, it yields and gives like a spring, tak- 
ing the jar off from the delicate machinery of the foot. As its con- 



— 264 — 

vexity must make it liable to touch the ground at every step, I 
conclude that it was intended to receive pressure. Paring the frog, 
therefore, and raising it from the ground by a high-heeled shoe, an- 
nihilates its functions and produces disease. 

When a horse has traveled upon these high-heeled shoes for a 
long time, taking the pressure off from the frog, the frog becomes 
dry and hard as a stone and the result is that when it strikes the 
earth, it jars the limbs and causes inflammation. Then the foot com- 
mences to contract, growing worse and worse every day, until in a 
few months the horse is almost worthless. 

Now let me say a few w r ords about the weight of the horse's shoes. 
I have discovered in my traveles through America that our horses 
are carrying from a pound to a pound and a-half of iron on each 
foot, and on figuring it up I make this seemingly outrageous calcu- 
lation : A horse, carrying one and a-half pounds of iron on each foot, 
making one step a second, and sixty seconds a minute, and working 
eight to ten hours a day, picks up and puts down daily over seventy- 
three tons of iron ; and an animal carrying one pound of iron, mak- 
ing the same number of steps, etc., picks up and puts down fifty-two 
tons of iron. The following will tell you exactly how much a shoe 
should weigh : A horse weighing 900 to 950 pounds, up to 1,030 
pounds, should wear a fourteen-ounce shoe on the fore feet, and an 
eight-ounce shoe on the hind feet ; this is plenty heavy .enough for 
driving and saddle horses. For heavy team and dray horses, of 
course, you must use the heavier shoe, but never shoe a horse heavier 
than his weight requires. The less iron on a horse's foot the better 
for the animal. 

Another great fault I have discerned in my visits to blacksmith 
shops all over the United States, is their tendency to fit the horse's foot 
to the shoe, and not fit the shoe to the foot. The very thought of 
this is simply ridiculous; and to take a red-hot shoe and burn the 
place I most decidedly condemn. I would make this statement : If 
the smith is any kind of a mechanic, and is paid well for his work, 
he can take the iron in the bar and work it so it will fit the foot in 
the proper manner ; then fit it on cold, and not red hot ; it draws a 
certain matter from the foot which stands to reason is very in- 
-jurious. After a short time under this treatment it will be almost 
impossible for the blacksmith to prepare the foot with a knife. 



— 265 — 

How do we get these ignoramuses into the business ? Well, young 
men will go into the blacksmith shop to learn the trade; they stay 
there six months. At the end of that time they have perhaps 
learned how to sharpen the point of a horse-shoe nail, and drive on an 
old horse-shoe. It always requires at least seven to ten years to do it 
right, as well as intelligence and common sense, combined with a 
strong inclination to study the anatomy of the foot of the different 
kinds of animals. I hope I may live to see a law passed in the 
various states prohibiting all persons practicing the art of black- 
smithing, unless they hold a certificate of examination signed by 
proper examiners, and obliging the applicant to spend a certain 
number of years learning the profession before being allowed to re 
ceive their diplomas. Thus these " sprouters " will be weeded out, 
and, at the same time, as the diseases they caused cease, the number 
of quack doctors will in proportion grow less. 

Few people realize the importance of this question. There are in 
the United States 12,523,488 horses and. 2,162,808 mules, and for 
information's sake I will say here there are 45,675,533 cattle and 
18,443,120 milch cows, averaging one cow to every three inhabitants. 
There are 172,726 blacksmiths, and the value of live stock in the 
United States is $1,500,464,609 ; consequently the preservation of 
this enormous quantity of usefulness is indeed important. This in- 
formation was furnished me direct from Washington last year. 

The apprentices think they know as much as their " Boss " does ; 
and so they say to themselves, " what in the world is the use of my 
staying here another year when I might be in business for myself 
and thereby make much more money?*' So they hire a shop, gfcu a 
pair of blowers and an anvil and a few other implements they have 
at least learned to call by name, and at once advertise to shoe a horse- 
in the most scientific manner for seventy-five cents. The result is 
that a great many farmers and others owning horses, who are not 
well-informed, patronize them. In a few months the horse has corns, 
overreach, interfere, sutlers from sweeney, shoulder jam, and many 
other complaints too numerous to mention, and which are called by 
any name a quack doctor gives them. Suppose your animal has been 
crippled for life by a seventy-five cent blacksmith ? 

Let me say right here that no one can shoe a horse properly for 
seventy-five cents and exist. He must, in equity, be paid from $2.00 



— 266 — 

to $5.00. A shoe should never remain on over four to six weeks ; 
then have it reset, and always patronize smiths who have been per- 
fected in their profession. 

I am often asked how to cure a horse of corns, and my invariable 
answer is : " simply remove the cause/' If you have a corn on your 
own foot, you would either cut your old shoe or buy a larger or 
better fitting pair. Now, apply the same treatment to the horse. If 
he has corns, simply take the pressure off the quarter where the corn 
is. Cut off the top part of the corn, and after the pressure is re- 
moved, it will gradually get well. In the winter time keep the foot 
covered. Put in tar or something similar. There are a great many 
so-called specialists who claim to cure corns, etc.; but my advice is, 
to patronize only a first-class blacksmith. If he does not succeed in 
the first few days, don't go off and try some one else, but stick to him, 
as he will be more likety, after seeing the horse a few times, to ascer- 
tain and remedy the complaint quicker than any one else. 

When we say a horse overreaches, we mean that the horse, owing 
to the propelling power of the hind feet, cannot get the front feet out 
of the way quick enough. Now, to remedy this, have your horse 
shod with the toe weight shoe on the front feet ; thus, having four 
ounces more on the toe than on the back, the powers are equalized. 
Have a wide web shoe on the outside foot, and a narrow web shoe on 
the inside. The philosophy of this is that, by putting toe weights on 
a horse's front feet, you give him more knee action, and by putting 
side weights on the hind foot you spread his hind feet out w r hen the 
horse picks them up. This will stop them from overreaching if 
properly done. The foot must be pared perfectly level. I also 
recommend this toe weight shoe for a horse that stumbles ; he does 
this because he has not the proper knee action — sometimes because 
he is too lazy, which the driver will understand. 

If you have a horse whose foot is badly contracted in the spring 
of the year, apply the half shoes called toe tips. Place them on the 
horse's front feet, leaving the full frog pressure. They should be 
made cut down at the end of the shoe, leaving the heel of the foot 
perfectly level with the shoe. Do not have it slanted down, as a 
great many do, with a knife, but have it cut right off square with 
the heel to correspond. In poulticing, in order to soften up this 
foot, if the foot is dry, use the following preparation : linseed meal. 



— 267 — 

one quart ; charcoal, one pint ; raw onions, one quart. Mix all to- 
gether with hot water, and make up with a poultice. Now take a 
piece of blanket about a foot or foot and a-half square, put the poul- 
tice in the middle of it, and step the horse's footinto it, bringing up 
the cloth around the ankle. Do this every twelve hours for five ap- 
plications, and at the same time use good strong liniment (but one 
that will not blister) on the cords of the animal's leg from knee to 
foot. This will prevent inflammation. If you wish to expand the 
hoof, never put in any screws to force the same, as it is an impossi- 
bility to do it. If you desire to do it quickly, use your medicine on 
the hoof band of the horse's foot known as the coronet. When the 
top of the hoof is loosened and expands, the bottom is bound to go 
out with the top. This is the only practical way of expanding the 
horse's hoof. Now for another point. A great many specialists are 
going around advertising to cure swinney, shoulder jam, etc. I wish 
to inform you that there are no such diseases known to the veteri- 
nary profession. Some quack, whose grandparents left him an 
almanac of about 1842, that tells how to cure three or four common 
complaints, thinks he has learned everything, and at once starts out 
as a horse doctor. He is the only one who knows what these diseases 
are, and for a certain amount of money he will guarantee to cure 
anything. To cure quarter cracks, you pare off all your horse's 
quarters, the same as for corns. I sometimes use in this case a bar 
shoe, which I consider a very good thing. In a great many cases 
you can work your horse every day, but let it heal gradually, as it 
takes some months to grow out a quarter crack. If it is a very bad 
case, grow it down as fast as possible, and when nicely grown down, 
sell or trade the horse to the best bidder. 

Xow about the nails to be used in horse-shoeing. Some smiths use 
one size nail for all sizes of horses, a nine nail for pomes and for 
horses weighing fourteen hundred pounds. For a horse which 
weighs from 900 to 1,050, I advise a six nail for the front foot and a 
live for the hind foot. Heavier horses require nails in proportion. 
The front shoe should be nailed on with six nails, three on each side, 
and not too far back at the heel. The hind shoe should be fastened 
with three nails on the outside and two nails on the inside. Drive 
nails home and clinch down nicely. 

A few words in regard to toe crack. This defect is from the same 



— 268 — 

cause as a quarter crack, and appears in both fore and hind feet. 
Clean the crack well, cutting with a sharp knife the dead horn from 
each side of it, and shoe as advised for quartet crack, putting the 
bearing on the frog and three quarters of the foot. If the hoof is 
weak from long contraction and defective circulation, I use a shoe 
.with four caul ks — two heel caulks, and two caulks — one on each side of 
I the toe. Have these caulks high enough so that the frog will not 
strike on the ground. The result is the weight of the horse is thrown 
on the outside of the foot ; the pressure is now at the toe and not at 
the heel, and the result is every time the horse puts his foot down 
the crack closes together. A few weeks' standing on these shoes will 
have a great effect. 

Some riders have a habit which I do not approve of. When they 
come in from a ride, particularly in the spring of the year, and their 
horse's legs are covered with mud, they direct the groom to turn a 
hose on the legs. The cold water has a bad effect, and brings on 
sundry complaints. Let the mud stay on until it dries, then remove 
it with a brush. It will come out very easy, and look fully as well 
as if washed. 



Philadelphia, January 8, 1889. 
Prof. O. R. Gleason: 

Dear Sir. — I have given your manuscript a careful perusal, and am very 
much pleased with it. Your system of training is certainly far superior to 
any horse manipulation that I have ever witnessed, and your portrayal of 
the same in your manuscript is practical and to the point. 

Your Veterinary Department is far above the average, and I am pleased 
to see that you have avoided many of the objectionable features incor- 
porated in most of the veterinary works published ; I mean the nap-hazard 
manner in which many authors prescribe deleterious drugs and compounds 
of which they have no knowledge, thereby producing much unnecessary 
pain and injury that otherwise could be avoided. Your advice to horse- 
men in a rational system of practice which should remedy many of the 
great evils in horse-treatment now existing. 

With best wishes for the success of your very valuable work, 
I remain very respectfully yours, 

JAMES A. MARSHALL, Y. S., 
Veterinary Infirmary, 914 and 916 brown street, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 



269 — 



Veterinary Department 



The author of this book docs not claim to be a veterinary surgeon, 
but does claim to have a fair, practical knowledge of the treatment of 
the many ordinary diseases of horses, and will endeavor to make a 
few suggestions, to enable the horse owner to relieve the animal of 
some of the many troubles to which he may be subject. The 
majority of the diseases mentioned in this department are easily 
detected and the remedies prescribed, plain and practical. 

A few of the more common symptoms or signs of diseases will be 
considered, but we shall have to depend upon close observation and 
a strict attention to the different peculiarities exhibited, in order to 
determine the cause and result of the disease. 

The general appearance and actions of the horse must first be ob- 
served carefully. The positions assumed by the horse when ailing 
are quite different from those in health. The most prominent 
symptoms are seen in the eyes, nostrils, ears and flanks; if the eye 
appear dull, weeping and inflamed, give cooling medicine for fever; 
if the eyes are staring and glazed, you have a bad case, and an indi- 
cation of fatal termination. If the nostrils are expanded, the 
breathing laborious and the ears drooping and cold, there is serious 
trouble and needs immediate attention. 

The horse cannot describe to us his sickness, but by his general 
appearance and motion, it is not difficult to distinguish between 
disease and health. 

When an animal is seen to be ailing, he should be placed in a 
roomy box-stall, care being taken to keep the stall clean and dry. 
The manger should be washed out, at least, once a day, with strong 
salt-water; the floor should be well littered with clean straw ; the 
drains should have a little lime or copperas-water poured in once a 
day. A horse that is sick wants rest and quietness. Be sure that 
you understand the disease and in administering medicine, use only 
such as you are certain will do no harm, remembering that more 
horses die from improper use of medicines than natural deaths. 



— 270 — 

By watching carefully a few minutes, you will, very likely, see 
that the animal points his nose to the place of pain. If it is lameness, 
he will rest the affected limb. Watch carefully for any alteration 
in temperature or breathing. Diseases arise principally from ob- 
structed or impaired digestion ; care should be taken to give only 
such food as we know to be clean and sweet, and to give it in proper 
quantities. A horse should never be driven fast on a full stomach. 
The feet should be carefully examined after work, to see if there are 
any stones or nails ; the dust should be washed from the eyes, mouth 
and nostrils. It is much easier to prevent disease than to cure it. 

A horse is also very much like man in the general structure of the 
internal organs, and the treatment of diseases very much the same. 
The average size of a horse being nine times that of a man, with few 
exceptions, he requires nine times the amount of medicine ; the same 
remedies used in the human family will be applicable and beneficial 
to the horse. 

Many disorders of man and beast arise from obstruction and de- 
rangement of the circulation and secretive functions ; therefore, to 
keep in health, prevent obstructions, and to restore health, remove 
them. The fewer medicines given the horse, provided the cure is 
effected, the better ; nature cannot be forced, but can be assisted and 
relieved, and to accomplish this there must be an adaptation of the 
treatment to the nature of the disease. As has heretofore been said, 
the owner is at a great disadvantage in treating a horse, from the 
fact that the animal cannot speak ; but the treatment may be under- 
taken with greater hope and confidence than with the human patient, 
because it may be made with more safety, much more vigorous and 
decided. 

The following recipes have all been tested, and are selected from 
formulas used by some of the best veterinarians in this and the old 
country ; the most of them are easily obtained, and just such as all 
horsemen are conversant with : 

Pneumonia (Lung Fever,) 

Begins with a chill and is accompanied by fever ; ears and legs cold ; 
breathing hurried and distressed ; fore feet widely apart ; eyes in- 
flamed and drooping lids ; breath very hot ; will not lie down, and 
groans when moved. Give ten-drop doses tincture of aconite root 



— 271 — 

every hour, for five hours. Rub the chest with mustard and vinegar. 

The second day, mix half ounce of quinine to a pint of whiskey, and 

give two tablespoonsful every three hours. Bandage the legs with 

flannel; if very cold, rub them first with dry mustard and then 

bandage. Repeat this process of rubbing and bandaging until they; 

are warm. 

Pleurisy 

Is accompanied by short breathing and intense pain; legs drawn 
together ; very sore to the touch on the sides ; moans when moved. 
Treatment similar to that of lung fever, only that instead of using 
mustard on the sides, apply blankets, soaked in and wrung out of hot 
water, and give two tablespoonsful of sweet spirits of nitre in bucket 
half full of water, twice a day. 

Gravel or Stone in the Bladder. 

Symptoms very much like colic. The horse in motion has a strad- 
dling gait; difficulty of urinating, accompanied by groans; urine 
dark and hot ; patient perspires profusely, especially in the region of 
the flanks. Apply hot blankets over the loins, and give ten dropsof 
muriatic acid in bucket half full of water, twice a day. 

Founder. 

The horse breathes laboriously; stands upon his heels, with fore 
feet and legs stretched out, throwing his weight on the hind feet;, 
shows intense pain when moved. Treatment: Take off the front 
shoes ; give ten-drop doses of tincture of aconite every three hours 
until five doses have been administered ; soak the front feet in hot 
water with a handful of washing soda in it, for an hour at a time, 
twice a day ; after each soaking, apply poultices of cold water and 
bran ; feed the horse on warm bran mash and if the bowels are cos- 
tive, drench with one pint of flaxseed oil and one-half ounce of oil of 

sassafras. 

Rubbing the Tail. 

If troubled with pin worms, inject with eight ounces of linseed 
oil and two ounces of turpentine ; wash the tail with strong salt- 
water every other day. An injection of strong salt-water will often 
destroy the pin worms. 



— 272 — 

Impure Blood. 

There are many diseases of the blood, but the most common are 
itching and skin eruptions. Take equal quantities of snake root, 
sassafras root and rhubarb root and boil them sufficiently to make 
a strong tea. Give a half pint in mixed feed every night for a week. 
The best time to give this is in the spring, when the horse begins to 
shed his coat. 

Lockjaw. 

This is one of the most fatal diseases of the horse. It generally 
comes from a wound, and can be easily distinguished from any other 
disease. If it comes from a wound, open the wound and soak in 
warm water and poultice. Give ten drops tincture of aconite and 
twenty drops tincture of belladonna every three hours. Keep the 
horse perfectly quiet. 

Injury from Nails, 

After drawing the nail, soak the foot in hot soda water, clean the 

opening so as to allow discharge, then poultice with flaxseed or 

onions. 

Splint. 

Mix one drachm biniodide of mercury with one ounce of lard. 
Eub a portion of the ointment on the enlargement. In twenty-four 
hours grease with lard, and in an hour wash off with warm water 
and soap. If not relieved, repeat in ten days. 

Burns and Scalds. 

Bathe with equal parts of lime water and linseed oil, and sprinkle 
a little flour over to keep air out. 

Stings or Mosquito Bites. 

Bathe the parts with diluted spirits of hartshorn or a strong solu- 
tion of hyposulphite of soda. 

Chronic Discharge of the Horse (Nasal G-leet). 

Mix equal parts powdered bluestone and gentian root ; give tea- 
spoonful three times a day in the feed, and steam the horse with a 
little tobacco sprinkled over red coals. 



—273 — 

Ulcerated Mouth or Sore Tongue. 

Aqual parts of tincture of myrrh and water, and bathe month 
twice a day. 

Chicken Lice. 

Bruise an ounce of quassia wood and put to soak in a quart of soft 
water ; after standing one day, wash the horse and let him stand in 
the sun until dry, and then brush out with a stiff brush. If not all 
removed, repeat the washing and brushing in a few days. 

Distemper. 

Pink eye, catarrh, bronchitis and strangles, and pretty much all 
of the diseases accompanied with a discharge from the nostrils, are 
classed as distemper. The treatment in all of these is similar, and 
the cases should be treated according to the symptoms shown. First 
stage. Give medicine for fever (ten-drop doses tincture of aconite, 
ounce dose of sweet spirits of nitre, or flaxseed tea, should be given); 
the animal should have warm bran mashes, and be kept in a well 
ventilated stable, without much draught. Bathe the throat twice a day 
with hartshorn and sweet oil (two parts of sweet oil to one of harts- 
horn). If the throat be much swollen and shows indication of pus 
forming, poultice with flaxseed until the enlargement breaks, then 
wash clean with warm water and castile soap. As soon as the fever 
is subdued, give the following powders to cleanse and build up the 
system : Two parts gentian root (powdered), two parts saltpetre, one 
part ginger root, and one part Peruvian bark. Powder fine and mix 
well. Give a teaspoonful three times a day. If the horse does not 
improve in a few days, send for a veterinarian, as there may have set 
in some complication, such as lung fever, pleurisy, dropsy, etc., which 
are serious. Great care should be taken to keep the horse quiet, and 
if summer, cut some grass and give him a few hands full three or four 
times a day. 

Hide-Bound and Dead Coat. 

Give a tablespoonful of powdered jimpson seed in mixed feed every 
night for four nights, then stopping for four nights, and again re- 
peating as before. 



— 274 — 

Rheumatism. 

Make a strong decoction of poke berries and whiskey ; give two 
iablespoonsful in a little water night and morning. 

"Weak or Inflamed Eyes. 

If eyelids are much swollen and red on the inside, take three eggs, 
mix them together, yolks and whites, put them into a quart of warm 
water and let simmer for one-half hour, then add half ounce of sulphate 
of zinc ; let stand and settle until cold, then strain. Poultice eye 
with the curd, allowing it to remain on for two hours. Wash the 
eye with the liquid two or three time a day. 

Thumps— Spasm of the Diaphram. 

The diaphram is the curtain-like muscle which separates the chest 
from the abdomen. For this spasm give ten drops tincture of aco- 
nite in a little water ; bathe the head and nostrils with cold water, 
and in half-hour give a bottle of ale or porter. 

Strains. 

In all strains there is more or less swelling and heat. First soak 
or bathe the parts in hot water, with a hand full of washing soda to 
each bucket. Bathe for half an hour ; then rub dry and bathe with 
tincture of arnica flowers. 

Bruised Heels or Corns. 

Kemore the shoe, soak in hot soda water and poultice with flax- 
seed or onions. If there be a corn, have it cut out, pour some tinc- 
ture of iodine on it, and dry it in with a hot iron. Have horse shod 
so that the shoe will not bear on the corn. 

Fistula or Poll Evil. 

When the enlargement first shows, apply a hop bag of about t vo 
quarts, dipped in boiling vinegar, to the swelling, laying a piece of 
oil-cloth on top of the bag to keep in the steam. Repeat every fif- 
teen minutes for an hour twice a day, continuing the process for 



— 275 — 

three days. Then dissolve an ounce of corrosive sublimate and ail 
ounce of camphor in a pint of turpentine, and apply this liniment 
•once a day. If this does not effect a cure, and there is a pus formed 
inside, open it well with a sharp knife and wash it out with one 
part of carbolic acid to eight parts of glycerine. Both of these drugs 
(corrosive sublimate and carbolic acid) are violent poisons, and 
should be used with great care. 

Sun Stroke. 

When a horse is overcome with heat, get him into the shade, if 
possible, and bathe the head and back the entire length of the back 
bone with cold water; sponge the mouth out well with a little 
whiskey and cold water and give him a couple of ten-drop doses of 
tincture of aconite. If the legs are cold, bathe them well with whis- 
key and red pepper, and bandage them with red flannel. 

Paralysis. 

Horses that are well fed and not regularly exercised are most sub- 
ject to paralysis. The hind portions are the most liable to be affected. 
Try to keep the horse on his feet ; if already down, make a sling of 
hags and raise him, as he will do much better if standing. Steep 
blankets in hot water and wring out dry, apply them to back as hot 
as possible. Leave the blankets on for a couple of hours, then re- 
move them and rub the horse dry and bathe the back well with hot 
vinegar and salt and cover with a dry blanket. Give a half pint of 
ale or porter every two or three hours and send for a veterinarian. 

Cramps and Spasmodic Colic. 

The horse refuses his feed ; paws with the fore feet ; tries to kick 
his belly with his hind feet ; looks around at his side ; during the 
spasm he is greatly excited, kicking and rolling; sweats freely ; there 
are also frequent intermission of pain. Give half a pint of warm ale 
or porter with a tablespoonful of ginger or half pint of whiskey and 
tablespoonful of essence of peppermint; if not relieved give an 
ounce of laudanum, two ounces of sweet spirits of nitre in half pint 
water ; repeat either of the doses every half hour. 



— 276 — 



Inflammation of the Bowels. 



The symptoms are somewhat similar to those of spasmodic colic, 
the only difference being that there is no intermission of pain. The 
horse rolls, paws and shifts about, has a high fever, hot breath and 
is greatly excited. First : relieve the pain by giving ten drops of 
tincture of aconite and twenty drops of tincture of belladona in two 
tablespoonsful of water every hour. Apply blankets wrung out of 
hot water to the belly ; use the hot blankets for several hours, then 
rub dry; if no better, apply a mustard plaster made of hot water and 
vinegar and strong mustard, mixed thick as cream. This is a dan- 
gerous disease ; send for your veterinarian soon as possible. 

"Wind or Flatulent Colic 

Resembles the two former diseases, excepting that the belly is 
swollen with gas caused by fermentation of food. Give a tablespoon- 
ful of baking soda in half pint of water ; inject with warm, soapy 
water ; if the wind passed off with the water, yon may consider your 
horse out of danger. If not relieved give an ounce of hyposulphite 
of soda, one ounce laudanum and one ounce of tincture of assa- 
fcedita in half pint of water. 

Bone- Spavin. 

When fully developed there is no cure. If there is fever in the 
joint, bathe with warm soda water, then use bandages soaked in cold 
water on the parts until the hock is as cool as other portions of the 
leg. Then apply a blister of biniodide of mercury the same as used 
in splint. This treatment may reduce the enlargement and relieve 
the lameness. 

Bogr and Blood Spavin, or Thorough- Pin, 

Is incurable, but may be relieved by hot fomentations and the use 
of the biniodide blister. 

Suppression of Urine or Stoppage of "Water. 

The horse trys to urinate, but only a few drops pass at a time. 
Examine the sheath and see that there are no obstructions, and that 



- 277 — 

the parts are clean. (A horse's sheath should be washed out with 
warm water and soap, at least, once a month.) Apply a warm 
blanket to the back over the kidneys; make a strong tea of water- 
melon seeds, and give a teacupful every couple hours. If not re- 
lieved the first day, give two ounces sweet spirits of nitre in half pint 
of water. 

Scratches or Cracked Heels. 

If the legs are swollen and hot, poultice for twenty-four hours, 
changing the poultice every six hours, with boiled carrots and suffi- 
cient charcoal (powdered) to color it black. Then clean the parts 
with a sponge, dampened with warm water and castile soap, and ap- 
ply an ointment composed of two ounces sulphur, one-half ounce 
sugar of lead, one drachm of carbolic acid, and four ounces lard; 
mix well, use the ointment twice a day and keep the legs dry. 

Collar or Saddle Galls. 

Jimpson leaves bruised and mixed with an equal quantity of hot 
lard, make a good healing ointment. 

Heaves or Broken Wind. 

Heaves cannot be cured. Care in feeding and watering is the best 
remedy. Give feed and water in small quantity. Dampen the feed 
with lime-water and give teaspoonful doses *of pine tar on the 
tongue once a day. 

Diarrhoea or Scouring 

Brown half pound of rice the same as you would brown coffee. 
Grind in a coffee mill, and boil in two quarts of water, add two 
ounces of laudanum, and 1 give a teacupful two or three times a day. 

Chronic Cough. 

Two ounces of pine tar, four ounces honey and one ounce powder- 
ed Irish moss; mix and give a teaspoonful night and morning on 
the tongue. 

Slobbering. 

Look for sharp edges on the teeth; if they are rough, smooth 



— 278 — 

with a tooth rasp, then make a strong sage tea well sweetened with 
honey and swab the month ont two or three times a day. 

Hemorrhage or Bleeding from Wound. 

If the blood be a light red or pink, and spurts out, it is from an 
artery ; if possible, find this artery and tie it with a strong thread 
and bind on the wound a thick plaster of cobweb. If it is only 
veins that are injured, apply the cobweb. If that does not stop the 
flow, touch with a hot iron and repeat application of cobweb. 

Staggers. 

Staggers generally comes from disordered stomach or close and ill 
ventilated stables. If the animal stops on the road and staggers, 
take the small blade of your penknife and stick him in the upper 
jaw; not above the third ridge Bathe the head and nostrils with 
cold water and quietly walk him home, then, feed with bran mash or 
cut grass. A horse subject to staggers should not be turned out to 
pasture. Dispose of him, he is of no account. 

Worms. 
Mix a handful of cut and dry tobacco with the feed, twice a week. 

Profuse Stalling. 

Urinating profusely and frequently may be corrected by giving a 
teaspoon half full of iodide of potassium every night for two weeks 
in mixed feed. 

Swollen or Inflamed Udders. 

Dissolve a piece of gum camphor the size of a hazel nut, in two 
tablespoonfuls of hot lard. Bathe the udder with this twice a day. 
Give the mare bran mashes and moderate exercise. 

To Clean and Oil Harness. 

First, take the harness apart, having each strap ana piece by 
itself ; then wash it in warm soapsuds. When cleaned, black 
every part with the following dye : One ounce extract logwood, 



— 279 — 

twelve grains bichromate of potash, both pounded fine ; then 
put into two quarts of boiling rain-water, and stir until all is 
dissolved. When cool it may be used. You can bottle and 
keep for future use if you wish. It may be applied with a shoe- 
brush or anything else convenient. When the dye has struck 
in, you may oil each part with neatsfoot oil, applied with a 
paint brush or anything convenient. For second oiling use 
one-third castor oil and two-thirds neatsfoot oil, mixed. A few 
hours after, wipe clean with a woollen cloth, which gives tho 
harness a glossy appearance. 

The preparation does not injure the leather or stitching, 
makes it soft and pliable, and obviates the necessity of oiling as 
often as is necessary by the ordinary method. Its use is, there- 
fore, economical. 

Corns. 

Cause. — In a flat foot, the heels of the coffin-bone squeeze the 
sensitive sole by pressing it against the shoe. In a contracted 
foot, the sensitive sole is squeezed between the wings of the coffin- 
bone and. the thick, horny sole. A bruise results, the blood is 
effused and the stain of this left upon the horny sole — generally 
upon the inner side and anterior to the bars — constitutes a 
horse's corn, which is mostly found on the fore feet. 

Symptoms. — If the stain is dark and is to be removed with 
the knife, this indicates that a corn was there but no longer 
exists. The smallest stain of bright scarlet testifies to the exist- 
ence of a new and present coin. Corns are of four kinds — the 
old, the new, the sappy and the suppurative. The old and new 
are produced by the blood, and are judged by the scarlet or 
dark-colored stain. The old is generally near the surface ; the 
new is commonly deep-seated. The sappy is when the bruise is 
only heavy enough to effuse serum. The new corn alone pro- 
duces lameness. The suppurating corn may start up from 
either of the others receiving additional injury. It causes in- 
tense pain and produces acute lameness. 

Receipt to Stop the Growth of Bone Spavins, Ring-bones and 
Curbs ; also to Remove Splints from Horses. 

Take corrosive sublimate, one-quarter ounce ; tartar emetic, 
one-half ounce ; gum euphorbium, one-half ounce ; cantharides, 



280 



one-quarter ounce ; oil of spike, two ounces ; verdigris, fine 
ground, one-quarter ounce ; oil of wormwood, one-half ounce ; 
oil of turpentine, two ounces ; croton oil, one-half ounce ; mer- 
curial ointment, three-fourth ounce ; tincture iodine, one and 
one-half ounces ; crude oil, or alcohol, four ounces ; tincture 
capsicum, one ounce ; put in last one ounce sulphuric acid ; 
mix all. 

Directions. — First shear off the hair ; then take hot soap-suds, 
say three-fourths pail full, and put into a pint of old chamber 
lye, and foment or bathe the foot or joint ten minutes ; then 
put as much of the medicine on as will penetrate ; rub with fin- 
ger a minute ; do so once in three days until the lameness is 
gone. Always foment before putting on medicine and let the 
colt run out or the horse work. It is better than to stand still. 
It keeps the strength of the muscles, and when well will not get 
hurt again. 

Receipt for Blood or Bog- Spavins, Enlargement of Back Sin- 
ews, near the Pastern Joint, called "Windfalls. 

Take four drachms iodine of potassium ; two ounces oil of hem- 
lock ; three ounces turpentine ; two ounces oil stone : one ounce 
oil of wormwood ; mix all with eight ounces alcohol and two 
ounces tincture of eantharidcs. 

Directions. — Shake well and rub the parts of blood spavin 
every other day until you have used the medicine nine times ; 
then wash the parts and grease for a week. For windgalls, 
same way. Two to four applications will be enough. This will 
remove any soft blemish on the horse. Bathe with hot water 
first. 

For Shoulder, Hip, or Stifle Lameness. 

Take oil of fireweed, one-half ounce ; oil of wormwood, one- 
half ounce ; ammonia, two ounces ; tincture of myrrh, one 
ounce ; oil of spike, one and three-fourth ounces ; tincture 
of cantharides, one and three-fourth ounces ; alcohol, three 
ounces ; mix all. 

Directions. — First wet the parts with hot water for five or six 
minutes ; rub on medicine well ; then cover the shoulder or hips 
with as many blankets as you can, and leave them on eight 






— 281 — 

hours. Do this once in three days, until you have done it four 
times ; then once in six days, until you have done it three or 
four times more. Always bathe the hip or shoulders with hot 
water first. 

Blood Purifier. 

To be given to horses twice a year, in spring and fall. This 
will keep your horses from having distemper, coughs, colds or 
farcy, and keep them in good health. 

Take gentian root, pulverized, two and one-half ounces ; sassa- 
fras bark, two ounces ; elecampane, two ounces ; skunk cabbage, 
one ounce ; cream of tartar, one ounce ; saltpetre, two and one- 
half ounces : ginger, two ounces ; sulphur, six ounces ; digitalis, 
one ounce ; bloodroot, one ounce ; and buchu leaves, one ounce ; 
mix all together well. If your horse is in bad health give a tea- 
spoonful twice a day in bran mash, or to prevent all internal 
diseases give a tablespoonful in spring and fall, once a day, for 
fifteen or seventeen days. 

For Scratches. 

One ounce sugar of lead, one ounce burnt alum, one-half 
ounce sulphate zinc, one quart rain-water. Wash off clean with 
castile soap and water. Let dry and apply the liquid for three 
.or four days. A sure cure if not grease heel. 

Receipt to Cure G-rease Heels or Big Leg. 

Take two ounces tincture of cantharides, two ounces aqua 
ammonia, two ounces oil of turpentine, one ounce laudanum, 
three ounces alcohol. Mix all together. 

Directions. — First bathe the heel or leg with hot softsoap suds 
well for five or six minutes, then rub on the medicine well 
enough to wet the skin. Rub in well. Do this once in six days 
until you have done it from two to five times. If the disease is 
not of long standing, two applications are enough. In case of 
bad scratches or grease, give the horse the blood purifier. 

Receipt to Cure Poll Evil or Fistula, if Broken Out. 

Take tincture of lobelia, one ounce ; cantharides, one ounce ; 
croton oil, one-fourth ounce ; corrosive sublimate, one-fourth 






282 — 



ounce ; euphorbium, one-fourth ounce ; mercurial ointment, one- 
half ounce ; tartar emetic, one-eighth ounce ; turpentine and oil 
of spike, each one and three-fourth ounces ; sulphuric acid, one 
ounce ; alcohol, one and one-half ounces. 

Directions. — Insert with a probe to bottom of pipe and find 
which way they run, then put a small sponge on your probe and 
put as much medicine in as will go once a day for ten days. 
This will take out all the pipes and branches at the bottom. 
Then take one ounce nitrate of potash, put into a pint of soft 
water, and use with a syringe. This will heal from the bottom 
to surface. Same with fistula. Keep the parts clean with soft- 
soap suds, and give the blood purifier. 



For Poll Evil or Fistula, if Not Broken Out. 

Take tincture of iodine, three ounces ; turpentine, three ounces; 
aqua ammonia, two ounces ; tincture of cantharides, two ounces ; 
oil of spike, two ounces ; kerosene oil, six ounces. Mix all 
together. Rub the parts over once a day well for ten days, and 
give the horse blood purifier, No. 7, in both cases. 

Remedy for Colic and Belly- Ache. 

Take one and one-half ounces of laudanum, two ounces essence 
of peppermint, two ounces sweet nitre, one ounce capsicum, and 
ten drops tincture of aconite. Mix with one pint of whiskey. 
Give half the dose. If not well in ten minutes, give the other 
half. Cover the horse with blankets and do not move him. 



Worms. 

Cause. — Deranged condition of the digestive organs. 

Symptoms. — Voracious appetite, loss of flesh and general un- 
thrifty condition, and accompanied often by a dry, hacking 
cough. The excrement is usually covered with slime, and the 
anus is the seat of a morbid secretion of white color. 

Treatment. — Oil of savin, give ten drops three times a week. 
This is a valuable remedy for worms. Always give the blood 
purifier at the same time. Do not give to mares with foal. 



— 283 — 
Receipt to Cure Fresh Wounds, Cuts, Kicks or Collar Gall. 

Take one and one-fourth ounces sugar of lead, one-fourth 
ounce sulphate of zinc, one and one-fourth ounce saltpetre, one- 
fourth ounce sal ammonia, one-half ounce copperas. Mix all 
with one-half pint of alcohol and two quarts of soft water. Wet 
the parts three or four times a day. This will keep inflammation 
and proud flesh from the parts and heal them very fast. 

Corns. 

Cause. — Contraction of the feet and bruise of the soles. 

Symptoms. — Pain and lameness discoverable in one or both 
fore feet. On removing a flake or two of the sole at the inner 
angle of the foot, a dark spot will be discovered. This is called 
the corn spot. 

Treatment. — Take corrosive sublimate, two drachms; mercurial 
ointment, two drachms ; verdigris, one drachm ; croton oil, three 
drachms. Mix and heat in foot when shod. 



To Cure the Mange. 

Symptoms. — The hair will rub off and the skin break out in 
scabs. 

Take tincture of cantharides, two ounces ; oil of spike, two 
ounces ; aqua ammonia, one and three-fourth ounces ; turpentine, 
one and one-half ounces ; chloroform, one-half ounce ; oil of 
amber, one ounce ; alcohol, four ounces. Mix all and rub 
parts. 

Liniment for Bruises or Lame Back for Man or Beast. 

Take alcohol, three ounces ; oil of origanum, two ounces ; oil 
of hemlock, two ounces ; opodildoc, two ounces ; tincture of 
arnica, two ounces ; chloroform, one-half ounce. Mix all. This 
is good for rheumatism. 

Hoof Ointment. 

This will grow the hoof very fast and is good for contraction 
or thrush. To be used between the hair and hoof. 



— 284 — 

Balsam fir, oil hemlock, white pine pitch, honey, Venice tur- 
pentine, beeswax, each one and three-fourth ounces ; lard, one- 
half pound ; fine ground verdigris, three-fourth ounce. Simmer 
all together over a slow fire. When melted, take off the fire and 
stir until it is cool. 

A Liniment for Man or Beast. 

One pint turpentine, one pint beef gall, one pint hartshorn, 
two ounces oil of sassafras and two ounces of sweet oil. For 
external use. 

Colic and Stoppage of the Urine. 

Symptoms. — Frequent attempts to urinate ; looking around at 
his side ; lying down ; rolling and stretching. 

Cure. — One ounce chloroform, one pint of linseed oil, two 
ounces sweet spirits of nitre ; mix and drench. 

Physic Ball for Horses. 

Barbadoes aloes, from three to five or six drachms (according 
to the size of the horse); tartrate of potassia, one drachm ; ginger 
and castile soap, of each two drachms ; oil of anise or peppermint, 
twenty drops. Pulverize and make all into one ball with thick 
gum solution. 

Chest Founders. 

Symptoms. — Not unlike lung fever. The horse is stiff, but 
has no fever in his feet. Very sore in the chest ; inclined to 
stand very wide with his fore legs. 

Cure. — Bleed just above each hoof and bind up legs with oat 
straw and bathe with warm water for half an hour ; then rub 
dry with hot cloths and pour in bottom of each foot one table- 
spoonful of turpentine. Give internally one spoonful of pulver- 
ized alum. Take equal parts of boiled turnips and bran, add 
four ounces of ground flaxseed for poulticing feet. 

General Liniment. 
Turpentine, half pint ; linseed oil, half pint ; aqua ammonia, 



— 285 — 

four ounces ; tincture iodine, one ounce. Good for fresh sores, 
swellings, bruises, etc. Apply twice a day. 

White Ointment. 

Fresh butter, two pounds ; tincture of iodine, one ounce ; oil 
or origanum, two ounces. Eeady for use in fifteen minutes. 

Jaundice— Yellow Water. 

Symptoms. — The hair in the mane and tail gets loose ; the 
white of the eye turns yellow and the bars of the mouth ; he 
refuses to eat and limps in his right fore leg generally 

Cure. — Give every morning until it operates, barbadoes aloes, 
seven drachms; calomel, one drachm; ginger, four drachms. Mix 
with molasses. Feed scalded bran and oats or grass if it can be had. 
Stop the physic when the bowels move; then give spirits of cam- 
phor one ounce every day for twelve days. 

Sweating Liniment. 

Laudanum, gum camphor, spirits of turpentine, tincture of 
myrrh, castile soap, oil of origanum and nitrous ether, each one 
ounce ; alcohol, one quart. Shake well before using. Apply 
twice or three times a day, as the case may require. 

A Liniment to Use on Swollen Glands. 

Tincture arnica, chloroform, ammonia and sweet oil, four 
ounces of each. Mix well. Eub on the horse's throat twice 
a day. 

G-leason's Condition Powders. 

Fenu greek, cream of tartar, gentian, sulphur, saltpetre, resin, 
black antimony and ginger, equal quantities of each, say one 
ounce, all to be finely pulverized ; cayenne, also fine, half the 
quantity of any one of the others, say a half ounce. It is used in 
yellow water, coughs, colds, distemper and all other diseases 
where condition powders are generally administered. They 
carry off the gross humors and purify the blood. 



- 286 — 

Dose. — In ordinary cases give two teaspoonsful once a day in 
feeding ; in extreme cases give twice daily. If this does not 
give as good satisfaction as any other condition powder that 
costs more than double than it does to make this, then I will 
acknowledge that travel and study are of no account. 

Sore Mouth or Tongue. 

Cause. Inferior provender, and abuse by pulling on the 
reins. 

First take his grain from him, then take half an ounce of 
alum and two drachms of sugar of lead, one pint vinegar, and a 
half a gallon of water. Open the mouth and swab it out with 
this every morning and night. This should cure in all cases in 
five or six days. 

To Stop Blood. 
Swab the wound with Monsel's solution of iron. 

Bran Mash. 

I have frequently alluded in this work to the free use of bran 
mash for sick horses. They are invaluable, yet require some 
attention to the proper mode of preparing the same. The fol- 
lowing is the rule : The bran short should be clear and glossy in 
the color of its scales ; the scales should be of modern size and 
perfectly sweet to the smell; very fine bran is unfit for sick 
horses. The common practice is to place a certain quantity of 
bran within a bucket, then to pour hot water upon it and stir 
the mess and give it to the horse immediately. To prepare a 
mash properly proceed as follows : First, pour the bran into a 
clean bucket and add to it a tablespoonful of salt ; then pour 
on it the required quantity of boiling water, and, in doing so, 
contrive to let the water run upon every portion of the surface 
of the bran ; then immediately afterwards spread a thin coating 
of oatmeal upon the mass, and upon the oatmeal a dry covering 
of bran ; then cover the vessel with a clean sack or a thick 
woollen cloth, and set the same in a cool place about a half 
hour, after which remove the covering from the bucket and 
lightly stir the contents ; it is ready then for the patient. This 



— 287 — 

plan of preparing a mash will thoroughly steep the bran, and at 
the same time preserve its aroma. 

Strong Blister Ointment. 

Hog's lard, four ounces ; oil of turpentine and Spanish flies, 
each one ounce ; mix. 

For Fomenting Swollen or Stocked Legs. 

Procure one pound of smartweed ; place the same in an eight 
gallon kettle, with four gallons of soft water ; place over a slow 
fire and boil down to two gallons ; strain the solution into an- 
other iron or tin vessel ; get one pound of alum, place in a 
mortar and pulverize fine ; sift the alum into the liquid ; again 
place over the fire, and stir until well dissolved. Now, wind 
the limb tight with a hay rope ; pour one pint of the solution in 
at the top of the bandage when blood-warm. Repeat every hour 
for forty-eight hours. This is the best fomentation used. It 
will remove all inflammation and swelling in two days. If 
there is a cut or wound after fomenting, apply white ointment, 
until healed. In case of strain or bruise, apply the general 
liniment. 

Diseases of the Mouth, or Lampas. 

Symptoms. — Swelling of the gums and bars' and roof of the 
mouth. In many colts and horses it occasions but little or no 
inconvenience, while in others the pain is so great as to interfere 
with their feeding. 

Treatment. — Some barbarous pretenders burn with hot iron. 
But act humanely. Lance the bars, or use the jack-knife, if 
you can get nothing better. Use judgment, and in a few days 
the animal will feed as usual. 

To Grow Hair. 

Add as much sulphur to sweet oil as will make it as thick as 
cream ; apply to the mane and tail, rubbing in thoroughly, at 
least twice a week. This, it is said, will grow hair on the mane 
and tail rapidly. Must cleanse parts well with castile soap and 
water each time before applying the ointment. 



— 288 — 

Galls, Outs and Sores. 

Galls, cuts and sores should be kept well cleansed as often as 
possible with castile soap and water, and if they are chafed and 
rubbed by the harness, the parts of the harness should be kept 
clean at all timess wherever they touch the cut, gall or sore. 
Apply an ointment of the following : Pulverized alum, four 
ounces ; pulverized bloodroot, four ounces ; white lead, four 
ounces ; calomel, two ounces. Mix with glycerine, sweet oil or 
lard, to make an ointment. 1 have never known it to fail on 
cuts, galls or even scratches. 

Or, pulverized castile soap, four ounces ; camphor gum, four 
ounces ; calomel, two ounces. Mix with glycerine, sweet oil or 
lard, to make an ointment. I have known galls or cuts to heal 
up readily while at work, especially if the horse's blood is well 
cleansed. 

Thrush. 

The cause and symptoms of thrush are usually well known, 
yet I will describe them as follows : Eirst, fever in feet, bad 
.stable and management, wet bedding, etc., etc. 

Treatment. — Cleanse well the parts affected with castile soap 
and water ; open the crevices and apply chloride of zinc thoroughly, 
or crystallized carbolic acid ; repeat every day until relieved. 
Cleanse well each time before an application is made. Keep the 
horse's feet on dry floor. Dilute with soft water one ounce of 
either the zinc or the acid, when it is fit for use. 



To Dry Up Old Sores. 

Quarter of a pound of white lead ; dust on the places twice a 
day. Horses can be worked all the time. This is simple and 
good. 

To Restore the Appetite. 

Use of pulverized caraway seed and bruised raisins, four ounces 
each ; of ginger and palm oil two ounces each ; always use twice 
as much of the first as of the last, in whatever quantity you wish 
to make it. Give a small ball once a day until the appetite is 
restored ; use mashes at the same time. 



— 289 — 

Receipt for Swellings. 

Double handful each of mullen leaves, may apple roots, poke- 
roots, one gallon of water ; boil and add double handful of salt ; 
'apply as warm as the hand can bear it. G-ood and cheap. 

Gleason's Cleansing- Powders. 

Powdered fenu greek, two ounces ; black antimony, one ounce; 
sulphur, one once ; saltpetre, one ounce ; powdered gentian, two- 
ounces ; glauber salts, two ounces ; ginger, two ounces ; resin, 
two ounces ; a^safoetida, one ounce. Good for coughs, colds, 
distemper, bad blood, yellow water, loss of appetite, etc. 

Dose. — One tablespoonful once a day in wet food. 

Poultices. 

Few horsemen are aware of the value of these simple prepara- 
tions in abating inflammation and allaying pain, cleansing wounds 
and causing them to heal. They are the best kind of fomenta- 
tions ; they continue longer and keep the pores open. In all 
inflammation of the feet they are very beneficial and in cases of 
contraction. A poultice that contains the heat and moisture 
longest is the best. They will relieve swellings, take out the 
soreness from the pores and draw out unnatural substances ; 
linseed oil makes the best poultice ; it will hasten any tumor 
that is necessary to open and cleanse any old one, causing a healthy 
discharge when it is offensive. But in this case — where the 
ulcer smells badly — add two ounces of pulverized charcoal or 
chloride lime half an ounce to one pound of meal. This is 
good to use in grease or cracked heel. A poultice should never 
be put on tight. Carrots are very good, mash fine after boiling 
soft. The charcoal may be used in this also, where the parts 
smell offensively. 

Medicated Food for Horses and Cattle. 

Take linseed cake and pulverize or grind it up in the shape 
of meal, and to every fifty pounds of this ingredient add ten 
pounds of Indian meal, two pounds of sulphuret of antimony, 
two pounds of ground ginger, one and three-fourth pounds- 



— 290 — 

of saltpetre and two pounds of powdered sulphur. Mix the 
whole thoroughly together. Put in neat boxes or packages, for 
sale or otherwise, as desired, and you will have an article equal to 
Thorley's food or almost any other preparation that can be got 
up for the parpose of fattening stock or curing disease in every 
case when food or medicine can be of any use whatever. This 
article can be fed in any desired quantity, beginning with a few 
tablespoonsful at a time for a horse, mixing it with his grain, 
and in the* same proportion to smaller animals, repeating the 
dose and increasing the quantity as the case may seem to require. 

Packing the Feet. 

Packing the feet has been practiced by many horsemen for a 
long time without ever hearing of any particular good derived. 
I feel as though it was time and money spent for naught. First, 
any common sense man will see at once that there is no moist- 
ure in flaxseed meal, or any other substances ground, except 
when mixed with water like a paste before stuffing the foot. 
How much better and sooner you would get relief by applying 
hoof ointment, made to soften and keep fever down. The stuff- 
ing of the feet is no more or less than old fogyism. I have no- 
ticed in a good many different places men packing the feet of 
their trotters and road horses as part of their toilet, but, after 
all, have seen no good results derived, or seen an expression on 
the owner's countenauce saying it has bettered the foot at all, 
after all my trouble. The sole and corn on the foot are too 
hard for water and flaxseed meal to have but little effect. We 
read of no author on the horse and his diseases that points to 
and commands, or favors and gives any remedies, and says 
"that seems to be the best and only thing needful." On the 
other hand, but very little is said in regard to stuffing the 
horse's foot. It is far better to wash the foot clean and have 
your ointment and apply around the coronet a sufficiency every 
day until the fever has abated and the foot becomes pliable. 
There is danger of softening too much so as to weaken. Use 
judgment. Make the ointment from the following : Eaw lin- 
seed oil, one ounce ; lard, one pound, or balsam fir, eight 
ounces ; castor oil, twelve ounces, and crystallized carbolic acid, 
one ounce. This ointment is hard to beat. 



«- 291 — 
Watering and Feeding Horses. 

Much has been said in regard to watering and feeding horses ; 
perhaps all that is necessary. Yet I might add a word or so 
that might be of some light or benefit still on top of other and 
more generous-minded writers. I have had all grades of horses 
to care for, from the draft horse to the finest trotter, the old 
plug or stage horse out of sorts, and horses to put in trim for 
market. 

The Heavy Draft Horse. 

Feed him accordingly — three good meals a day, eight pounds 
of good hay at night. Before you feed offer a pail of water, if 
not too warm to drink the whole ; then feed in the morning 
oats and ground feed ; wet with cold water ; at noon the same. 
At night the full mess of ground feed made into a mash each 
and every day. Salt and ginger are good two or three times a 
week. Some horses will require more feed than others, but as 
a rule four quarts will be sufficient for the largest horse. 

The Road Horse. 

Water before being fed every meal. Oats dampened for break- 
fast, oats dampened for dinner, and a mash every evening of a 
good article of ground feed, and a fair supply of good hay. Keep 
him well groomed, clothed and shod, with a good bed, and he 
will endure a good deal of roading. 

Feeding and Fitting Trotters. 

There are very many different opinions given as to the proper 
mode of caring for and grooming the trotter or race horse. First 
get the horse in proper shape by preparing the feet, next the 
system. In order to do this, the feet should be kept clean every 
time he is driven, then apply the hoof ointment until the foot is 
soft and pliable enough, and keep it so. Then to prepare the 
system, feed moderately to start, keep the bowels in a smooth 
soluble condition by giving plenty of flaxseed, mucilage and seeds 
in mash once a day until you have got the desired effect. Then 
give the system powder morning and evening for eight days. 
Do not get the animal excited by overdoing matters. Keep him 
feeling in the best of spirits. See that his teeth do not interfere 



— 292 — 

with his driving on one rein, or make him slobber in feeding and 
watering. Give at the evening meal the heaviest. Peed and 
water when jogging. If he does not seem to feel just right, 
better go to the stable and wait for another day. 

Navicular Disease. 

Causes. — Corns, contraction, bruised heels or the unprotected 
foot treads on a rolling stone, and navicular disease is the result. 

Symptoms. — Acute lameness ; this disappears, but may come 
again in six or nine months. 

Acute lameness is then present for a longer time, while the 
subsequent soundness is more short. Thus the disease pro- 
gresses till the horse is lame for life. The pain in one foot 
causes greater stress upon the sound leg, and from this cause 
both feet are ultimately affected. The foot is pointed in the 
stable. The bulk diminishes, while the hoof thickens and con- 
tracts. The horse, when trotting, takes short steps, and upon 
the toe, going groggily. 

Treatment. — Feed liberally upon crushed oats and old beans. 
Soak the foot every other night in hot water. Afterwards band- 
age the leg, fix on tips, and having smeared the horn with 
glycerine put on a sponge boot. Eest very long — six months in 
the first instance — and then give three months agricultural 
employment. In bad cases resort to neurotomy, but do so upon 
the second attack of lameness ; because continued disease disor- 
ganizes the internal structures of the hoof, and also occasions 
the sound foot to be attacked by navicular disease. 

Canker. 

Cause. — Old horses, when "turned out" for life as pension- 
ers. Aged and neglected animals will also exhibit the disease. 

Symptoms. — Not much lameness. The disease commences at 
the cleft of the frog ; a liquid issues from the part, more abun- 
dant and more offensive than in thrush ; it often exudes from 
the commissures joining the sole to the frog. The horn first 
bulges out ; then it flakes off, exposing a spongy and soft sub- 



— 290 — 

stance, which is fungoid horn. The fungoid horn is most 
abundant about the margin of the sole, and upon its surface it 
flakes off. This horn has no sensation. The disease is difficult 
to eradicate when one fore foot is involved. • When all four feet 
are implicated a cure is all but hopeless, and the treatment is 
certain to be slow and vexatious. 

Treatment. — The stable must be large, clean and comfortable ; 
the food of the best ; allow liberal support ; pare off the super- 
ficial fungoid horn, and so much of the deep-seated as can be 
detached. Apply to the diseased parts some of the following : 
Chloride of zinc, half ounce; flour, four ounces. Put on the 
foot without water. To the sound hoof apply chloride of zinc, 
four grains ; flour, one ounce. Cover the sound parts before 
the cankered horn is dressed ; tack on the shoe ; pad well and 
firmly. When places appear to be in confirmed health the fol- 
lowing may be used : Chloride of zinc, two grains ; flour, one 
ounce. At first, dress every second day ; after a time every 
third day, and give exercise as soon as possible. 



Diseases of trie Dog. 



Administering Medicine, Etc. 

I will commence this essay by giving directions how to administer 
medicine. If your dog is not large you can manage him by yourself. 
Invert i> bucket and sit on it; set the dog down on his haunches be- 
tween your legs, holding him with your knee ; tie a cloth around his 
neck, this falling over his forepaws, is pressed against his ribs by 
your knees ; his forelegs by this dodge are " hors du combat;" with 
the finger and thumb of one hand force open the jaw?, elevating his 
head at the same time with the same hand. If a bolus, with the other 
hand pass it over the roots of his tongue and give it a sharp poke 
downwards ; close the mouth, still holding up his head until you 



— 294 — 

see it swallow. If a draught, give a mouthful, close the mouth, hold 
up the head and stop the nostrils. Eepeat this if the draught is too 
large to be taken at once. If the dog is very large you must have 
an assistant, else in his struggles he will upset you and the medi- 
cine, too. 

Physic. 

In giving a dog physic be sure to keep him warm and dry, especi- 
ally if you use calomel or mercurial preparations. Always remove 
him from his kennel and put him into a hospital apart from the rest, 
to prevent infection as well as to insure the poor brute quietness. 
Study the appearance of the eyes, feet, nose, extremities, pulse, etc. 

Mange. 

Caused by dirty kennels, neglect, want of nourishing or improper 
food. 

Cure. — One ounce salts, for dog of moderate size; rub every third 
day, well into the skin, of the following mixture. Train oil (Tan- 
ner's oil will do), one quart; spirits turpentine, one large wine- 
glass full; sulphur, sufficient to make thin paste; mix well; let it 
stay on the animal two week?, then wash well with castile soap and 
warm water. 

To Extract Corns. 

Cobbler's wax bound on to the place, or black pitch plaster, or a 
poultice, are equally good. 

Films Over the Eyes. 

Blue stone or lunar caustic, eight grains; spring water, one ounce. 
Wash the eyes with it, letting a little pass in. Eepeat this daily, and 
you will soon cure it. 

Films Caused by Thorn Wounds. 

Rest the dog till perfectly headed over, washing with rose water. 
If much inflammation, bleed and foment with hot water with a few 
drops of laudanum in it — about forty drops of laudanum to one 
ounce of water. Then apply lour or five times the following wash: 
Super -acetate of lead, halt" a drachm ; rose water, six ounces, 



— 295-^ 

Stripping Feet. 

Wash in bran and warm water with a little vinegar. Afterwards 
apply tincture of myrrh. Apply sweet oil before he goes out. If 
his feet are sore, wash in buttermilk until better, then apply brine 
and vinegar, equal parts. 

Wounds 

Poultice for a day or two, then apply Friar's balsam, covering up 
the place. 

For a G-reen Wound. 

Hog's lard, turpentine and beeswax, equal parts; verdigris, one- 
fourth part. Simmer over a slow fire till they are well mixed, and 
apply. 

Purgative Medicines. 

Salts, one ounce ; calomel, five grains ; socotrine aloes, two drachms; 
syrup of buckthorn, one tablespoonful ; for a moderate-sized dog. 

Canker in the Ear. 

Wash well with soap and warm water. Fill the ear with finely 
powdered charcoal or powdered borax. Clean out daily with sponge 
on a stick and warm water, and repeat the dusting until it heals. 
Another remedy: Oak bark one pound, chopped fine and well boiled 
in soft water. When cold take of the decoction of bark, four ounces ; 
sugar of lead half a drachm ; put a teaspoonful into the ear night 
and morning, rubbing the root of the ear well to cause it to get well 
into the cavities. This is one of the best receipts in this book. 

For a Strain. 

Use Bertine's liniment, or one ounce of turpentine, half-pint old 
beer ; half-pint brine ; bathe the part and repeat ; or sal ammonia, 
one ounce ; vinegar, one pint. 

Bruises or Strains of Long Standing. 

Gall and opodildoc are excellent. Shaved camphor, two ounces ; 
spirits of wine, three-quarters of a pint; shake well and cork close, 
placing it near the fire until the camphor dissolves ; then add a bul- 



-296- 

lock's gall ; shake well together. Apply, rubbing it well into the 
part affected, until it lathers. 

Dog- Poisoned. 

Give a teaspoonful of castor oil. After he has vomited well, con- 
tinue to pour olive oil down his throat and rub his belly. 

Fleas. 

Scotch snuff steeped in gin is infallible, but must be used with 
great care, and not above a teaspoonful of snuff to a pint of ^in, as 
the cure, if overdone, is a deadly poison. 

Torn Ears. 

Laudanum and brandy, equal parts. Mix well, and apply alter- 
nately with sweet oil. 

Swelled Teats. 

Make pomade of camphorated spirits of brandy and goose grease. 
Apply two or three times daily. 

Worms. 

Cowage, one-half drachm; tin filings (very fine), four drachms; make 
it into four or six balls, according to size of dog; one daily, and a 
few hours afterwards a purge of salts or aloes. Another remedy: 
Powdered glass, as much as will lie on a quarter of a dollar, mix 
with lard. Eepeat once or twice, alternate days ; finish off with one 
or two drachms of socotrine aloes rolled up in tissue paper. 

To Make a Dog" Fine in his Coat. 
A tablespoonful of tar and oatmeal ; make bolus. 

To Destroy Lice. 

Sometimes the receipt for fleas will prove efficacious, yet not al- 
ways; but a small quantity of mercurial ointment, reduced by adding 
hog's lard to it, say an equal quantity, rubbed along the back never 



-29?- 

fails ; but the greater care must be taken to keep the animal warm 
and dry. 

Distemper. 

Distemper caused by low keep, neglect and change of atmosphere. 
Symptoms of this disease are as follows: Loss of spirit, activity and 
appetite, drowsiness, dullness of the eyes, lying at length with nose 
io the ground, coldness of extremities — legs, ears and lips; heat in 
head and body, running at the nose and eyes, accompanied by sneez- 
ing, emaciation and weakness; dragging of the hind-quarters, flank 
drawn in, diarrhoea, and sometimes vomiting. There are several 
receipts for this, the worst of all diseases. One is better than an- 
other, according to the various stages. The first, if taken at an early 
stage, seldom fails. Half an ounce of salts in warm water, when 
first taken ill ; thirty-six hours afterwards, ten grains compound 
powder of ipecacuanha in warm water. If, in two days, he is not 
better, take sixteen grains antimonial powder, made into four boluses, 
one night and morning for two days. If no improvement is visible, 
continue these pills, unless diarrhoea comes on, in which case you 
must use the ipecacuanha, day about, with the pills. If the animal 
is much weakened by this, give him one teaspoonful Huxam's tinc- 
ture of bark three times a day. James' powder is almost a certain 
remedy — dose, four grains. In case of fits coming on, destroy the 
animal. The same may be said of paralysis. If this disease is taken 
in its early stages and attended to, and the dog kept warm, there is 
not much danger; otherwise, it is very fatal. 

Billious Fever 

Is caused by want of exercise and too high feeding. Calomel, six 
or eight grains ; or, in an obstinate case, turpeth mineral or yellow 
mercury, six to twelve grains in bolus. 

Inflammation of the Bowels. 

Symptoms — Dullness of appearance in eyes, loss of appetite, 
lying on the belly with outstretched legs, pulse much quickened, 
scratching up the bed in a heap and pressing the belly onto it, 
desire to swallow stones, coal or any cold substance not voidable, 



— 298 — 

inclination to hide away. It is very dangerous and requires active 
treatment. Bleed most freely until the dog Taints away, clap a blis- 
ter on the pit of the stomach. Give aloes, fifteen grains; opium, 
half a grain. Repeat the dose three times a day. Bleed after twelve 
hours if the pulse rises again, and continue dosing and bleeding till 
either the dog or the inflammation gives in. No half measures do 
in this case. If you get the upper hand there is no trouble ; if not, 
it is fatal. Feed low and attend carefully to prevent a relapse. 

Staggers and Fits. 



This generally happens in warm weather. Throw water on them, 
if convenient ; if not, bleed in the neck, if you have lancets ; if not, 
slit the ears with your knife (you can cause them to adhere together 
again), or run your knife across two or three bars next the teeth. 
Bitches coming off heat are more subject to this than dogs in good 
health. 

Bleeding. 

You may readily bleed a dog in the jugular vein by holding up 
his head, stopping the circulation at the base of the neck. Part the 
hair with the lancet, make an incision, taking care not to stick him 
too deeply. If the animal rejoices in a heavy coat it may be neces- 
sary to shave away the hair. From one to eight ounces are the 
quantities. Use your own judgment. 



299 — 



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This book will be enlarged with interesting matter, containing a daily 
journal, arranged in a versatile manner, as I will come in contact with 
men of note and objects of interest in my journeyings, and on my return 
to America, will be put in print and placed on sale as soon as practicable. 

On March 20th, 1889, I sail from San Francisco, Cal., for Melbourne, 
Australia, and a tour around the world, and expect to be absent two years. 
During which time I shall employ my leisure time in writing up a daily 
journal of all that happens to me and my combination. 

And so, with this, kind reader, I bid you an affectionate farewell, 
hoping to meet you again at no far distant day, 

I shall remain very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

OSCAR R. GLEASON. 



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